<fc/>. 


Lf~£) 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 


FOOL  !    I  THOUGHT  I'D  MADE  A   MAN  OUT  OF  YOU  !  " 


BY 
JOHN  FLEMING  WILSON 

AUTHOR  OP  "THE  LAND  CUVIMERS,"  "ACROSS  THZ 

LATITUDES,"  ETC. 


Hew 

STURGIS  &  WALTON 

COMPANY 

1912 

All  rights  reserved 


Copyright,  iwi? 
By  PHILLIPS  PUBLISHING  CO. 


Copyright,  1812 
By  STUROIS  &  WALTON  COMPANY 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.    Published  October,  1818 


TO  ROBERT  OGILVIE  KIRKWOOD 

Since  we  met  sixteen  years  ago  we  have 
sailed  on  many  seas ;  yet  I  think  we  both 
have  steered  by  the  same  stars.  Permit 
me  to  dedicate  this  story  to  you,  because  no 
one  more  than  yourself  will  understand 
that  it  is  written  in  good  faith. 

I  think  most  of  us  can  say  that  an  Un- 
known Woman  has  stood  at  the  turning 
point  of  our  lives,  shown  the  right  road, 
and  vanished.  This  tale  of  an  Unknown 
Woman  is  my  grateful  tribute  to  two  peo- 
ple— to  yourself  and  to  Her. 

New  York  City, 

15th  September,  1912. 


2138991 


I 

THE  GOING 


FROM  West  Fifty-sixth  Street  in  New 
York  City,  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica, to  Metter  Alley,  Shanghai,  China,  is 
ten  thousand,  one  hundred  and  twenty -nine 
miles  and  a  quarter.  Henry  Potter  made 
the  distance  in  six  years,  two  months  and 
four  days.  He  left  New  York  in  a  private 
car  at  an  average  speed  of  fifty  miles  an 
hour  and  two  hundred  dollars  a  day.  He 
entered  Metter  Alley  on  foot  and  spent 
during  the  last  quarter  of  a  mile  of  his 
long  journey  the  precise  sum  of  $0.00,  his 
total  wealth. 

There  were  other  differences,  besides 
that  of  money,  between  the  well-dressed, 
well-fed,  jovial  young  man  who  left  the 
American  metropolis  and  the  ragged,  ill- 
nourished,  shaking  creature  who  sought 
the  smoky  shelter  of  Sam-shew-sing's  cor- 
rugated-iron roofed  shanty  in  a  Shanghai 
13 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

purlieu.  These  differences  were  the  result 
of  ten  thousand,  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
nine  and  one  quarter  steps  downward. 
Let  us  descend  with  Henry  Potter. 

Thomas  Potter,  Henry's  father,  had 
made  his  money  in  Pittsburg.  Having  it 
firmly  in  his  possession  he  retired,  as  Pitts- 
burgers  say,  to  New  York.  .There  he 
awaited  the  graduation  of  his  son  and  heir 
from  Princeton,  amusing  himself  mean- 
while with  making  a  little  more  money, 
eating  a  little  more  than  was  good  for  him, 
enjoying  the  society  of  fellow-millionaires 
and  building  an  immense  house.  When 
Henry  had  got  his  diploma,  sung  his  last 
on  the  steps  of  Old  North  and  entered  the 
world  by  way  of  Twenty-third  Street, 
Thomas  looked  at  him  over  the  breakfast 
table  and  said,  * '  Ahumph !  Humph ! 
A-hem!  "  very  loudly. 

As  this  was  the  invariable  preface  to 
14. 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

Thomas's  most  trifling  remarks  as  well  as 
to  his  most  resonant  decrees,  Henry  kept 
judiciously  silent  and  went  on  with  his 
meal.  Having  thus  heralded  speech, 
Thomas  said  very  mildly, 

"  I  suppose  you're  ready  to  go  to  work." 

"  I  suppose  so,"  his  son  answered  care- 
lessly. "  What  shall  it  be?  " 

"  Pittsburg,"  Thomas  proceeded. 
' '  Pittsburg  and  the  business.  I  made  my 
start  in  Pittsburg.  My  son  shall  do  the 
same. ' ' 

"  All  right!  "  was  the  dutiful  response. 
"  JoUy  lot  of  fellows  in  old  Pitts." 

"  You  will  assume  charge  of  my  office 
there  as  second  vice-president.  It  is  re- 
ally the  central  portion  of  my  business  that 
will  come  to  your  desk,  sir.  You  will 
quickly  pick  up  the  details  it  is  needful 
for  you  to  know  and  you  will  also  get  a 
view  of  the  larger — almost  world- wide 
sweep  of  —  ah  —  the  business." 
15 


Henry  looked  at  his  watch,  nodding. 
"  All  right,  dad.  Must  drop  down  town 
and  see  Fitzy.  Fitzy  sails  to-morrow  for 
France.  We'll  have  luncheon  and  all 
that." 

' '  Ahumph !  Humph !  A-hem !  ' '  rum- 
bled Thomas. 

"  Yes,  sir!  " 

*  *  Could  you  make  arrangements  to  leave 
for  Pittsburg  next  Monday?  ' 

"  Sure.  By  the  way,  I'm  a  bit  short  of 
coin.  Lemme  have  a  few  hundreds,  will 
you?  " 

Thomas  drew  out  an  infinitesimal  check 
book  and  a  gigantic  fountain  pen  which  he 
joined  in  due  service  to  his  son.  While  the 
ink  on  the  check  dried  he  rolled  his  portly 
form  proudly  in  his  big  chair.  ' '  The  first 
Potter  —  your  great-grandfather  —  en- 
tered Pittsburg  in  a  two- wheeled  cart,  with 
his  tools  wrapped  up  in  his  leathern  apron 
and  tied  under  the  axle.  You  will  have  my 
private  car." 

16 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

Henry  sighed.  "  Well,  everybody's  got 
to  work,  I  guess,  so  I  might  as  well  buckle 
down.  I  did  think  of  a  run  across  to  Lon- 
don and  a  shy  at  Scotland  with  some  of  the 
fellows  —  but  duty's  duty!  " 

"  That  spirit  is  very  gratifying,"  said 
his  father  warmly.  "  You  will  start  on  a 
salary  of  fifty  thousand  a  year.  You  will 
receive  that  from  the  beginning,  my  boy. 
Your  expenses  will  naturally  be  heavy. 
You  will  live  like  a  gentleman.  It's  ex- 
pected of  a  Potter. ' ' 

It  is  four  hundred  and  eighty-six  miles 
from  New  York  to  Pittsburg. 

One  year  later  Henry  was  awakened  at 
eleven  A.  M.  on  Sunday  morning  by  his 
man.  "  A  telegram  for  you,  sir." 

Henry  cast  a  glazed  eye  on  the  yellow  en- 
velope. "  Another?  "  he  muttered  hus- 
kily. "  Burn  it.  I'll  take  the  ten  o'clock 
to  New  York." 

"  It's  eleven  now,  sir." 
17 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

* '  Then  fix  me  for  the  two  o  'clock.  Cof- 
fee !  Martin. ' ' 

At  midnight  Thomas  looked  at  his  son's 
white  face  and  dull  eyes.  ' '  Ahumph ! 
Humph!  A-hem!  "  he  rumbled. 

11  What  on  earth  were  all  those  tele- 
grams about?  "  Henry  asked  peevishly, 
pouring  himself  a  drink. 

"  Didn't  you  read  'em?  " 

"  No.  Too  busy.  Knew  you  wanted  to 
see  me.  Here  I  am!  " 

Thomas  kicked  his  way  back  and  forth 
across  the  heavy  rug.  "  I  want  to  know 
what  you  mean  by  your  crazy  infatuation 
for  that  woman?  ' 

"  So  that's  it!  I  thought  old  Maxwell 
was  hatching  something." 

"  If  it  weren't  for  Maxwell  my  business 
would  have  been  to  the  dogs  before  this," 
was  the  grim  answer.  "I'm  much 
obliged  to  him.  Now  what  about  this 
woman?  " 

"  I  presume  that  you  respectfully  refer 
18 


THE  MANfWHO  CAME  BACK 

to  Miss  Vandola  Vert?    She's  the  classi- 
est, prettiest  girl  in  ten  cities  — " 

"  I  care  nothing  about  that.  Maxwell 
thinks  you  want  to  marry  her.  She's  on 
the  stage  and  while  I  don't  grudge  you 
young  fellows  your  pleasures,  marriage  is 
out  of  the  question  and — " 

From  Pittshurg  to  Fairneld,  Iowa,  is  six 
hundred  and  twelve  miles.  Among  his 
many  interests  Thomas  Potter  possessed  a 
wagon  manufactory  in  Fairneld  and 
thither  went  his  son  Henry,  general 
manager  on  a  salary  of  eight  thousand  a 
year. 

"  You  can  live  well  there  on  half  your 
income  and  save  one  half,"  Thomas  re- 
marked. "  At  least  you  will  see  no  Van- 
dolas  and  other  butterflies  that  never  saw 
a  meadow.  There's  an  old  fellow  named 
Peet  —  Pett  —  Peck  —  Peterby  who's  run 
that  factory  twenty-five  years.  He  knows 
the  wagon  business  from  hickory  to  axle- 
19 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

grease.    A   year   with   him   will   do   you 
good." 

Nine  months  later  Thomas  Potter  sat  at 
his  desk  in  New  York  and  roared, 
"  Ahumph!  Humph!  A-hem!  "  and  his 
secretary  leaped  in  his  polished  chair. 
"  Take  this  letter  and  put  the  copy  in  my 
private  files,"  said  his  employer. 

"  Dear  Harry: 

"  Your  letter  of  the  14th  noted.  Mr. 
Peterby's  letters  have  gratified  me  by  their 
reports  of  your  attention  to  business.  I 
am  glad  of  your  extension  of  the  sales  de- 
partment and  see  with  satisfaction  that  you 
wish  to  become  settled  down. 

' '  In  view  of  your  record  I  have  notified 
the  San  Francisco  branch  that  you  will 
take  charge  there  as  manager.  You  will 
receive  a  salary  of  $12,000  a  year  for  the 
first  year  and  I  have  excellent  hopes  that 
you  will  show  the  same  diligence  there  as 
in  Fairfield. 

20 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

11  Bef erring  to  your  letter  again,  I  may 
say  that  I  do  not  see  my  way  clear  to  ap- 
proving of  an  engagement  between  you 
and  Miss  Price.  From  what  you  say  of 
her  I  feel  sure  that  she  is  a  very  deserving 
and  excellent  young  woman,  but  you  and 
I  must  consider  whether  she  is  the  lady 
to  carry  the  burden  of  your  social  posi- 
tion. 

"It  is  unlikely  that  Miss  Price,  living 
in  Fairfield,  has  the  trained  character  and 
broad  outlook  so  needful  to  the  wife  of  a 
man  who  must  sooner  or  later  be  the  head 
of  the  Potter  interests. 

"  I  enclose  a  check  for  $10,000  as  a  re- 
minder to  you  of  my  affection. 
"Your  aff.  father 

"  THOMAS  POTTER." 

"  I  guess  that  will  take  his  mind  off 
Miss  Sadie  Price,"  he  remarked  to  the 
secretary,  giving  him  Henry's  letter  to  file. 

"  If  I  were  Henry,"  said  the  secretary 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

to  himself,  "I'd  cash  the  check  and  beat  it 
with  Sadie.  They  could  live  in  fine  style 
on  ten  thou — " 

From  Fairfield,  Iowa,  to  Oakland  Pier  is 
twenty-four  hundred  and  seventy-six  miles. 
Henry  Potter  made  the  distance  in  four 
days  with  the  aid  of  the  liquids  supplied 
by  the  buffet.  He  landed  in  San  Fran- 
cisco under  the  escort  of  six  red-caps  whom 
he  fee'd  royally. 

Two  years  afterwards  he  was  sitting  in 
a  delicately  furnished  music  room  in  a 
costly  house  on  Jackson  street  and  trying 
to  catch  the  exact  color  of  the  eyes  of  a 
tall,  handsome  woman  opposite  him.  She 
refused  to  look  up. 

"  I've  always  sworn  your  eyes  were 
blue,"  he  laughed.  "  When  I  last  saw 
them  they  were  gray  —  steel  gray." 

She  looked   up   suddenly.    He   started. 

"  Why,  you're  crying,  Edith!  " 

She  nodded  mutely. 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"  What  on  earth  is  the  matter?  Dar- 
ling! Let  me — " 

Edith  shook  her  head  determinedly. 
"No!  Don't!  Can't  you  see?  "  she  said 
in  a  low  tone.  "  I  can't  marry  you, 
Harry." 

"  But  you  said  you  cared  for  me  —  you 
promised — " 

"I  know!    But  I  can't!" 

He  took  her  two  hands  in  his.  "  Now 
tell  me  what's  the  matter."  He  straight- 
ened himself  handsomely.  "  Speak  out, 
darling!  " 

Her  steady  glance  rested  on  him  till  his 
own  eyes  fell.  She  withdrew  her  hands 
gently.  *  *  You  have  so  many  awful  — 
wicked  habits,  Harry!  I  —  I  am  a  clean 
girl!  You  would  make  me  utterly  miser- 
able! " 

"  You  would  save  me!  "  he  muttered. 

She  shook  her  head  again,  mutely.  His 
coarse  laugh  rang  out.  "  So  that's  it!  I 
suppose  some  of  the  poverty-stricken 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

goody-goodies  that  hang  around  you  have 
been  chattering!  You  don't  know  what 
love  is!  And  I  had  faith  in  you!  Just 
like—  " 

It  is  two  thousand  and  ninety-one  miles 
from  San  Francisco  to  Honolulu.  Henry 
Potter  telegraphed  Thomas,  cashed  a 
draft  for  five  thousand  dollars  and  ten 
days  later  lounged  on  the  lanai  of  the  Mo- 
ana  Hotel  with  a  long  glass  ready  to  his 
hand  and  a  very  dirty,  uncouth  man  oppo- 
site him. 

"  You  say  you  know  Honolulu  like  a 
book,"  remarked  Henry.  "  "Well,  I'm 
quite  a  scholar  when  it  comes  to  books.  I 
like  the  looks  of  you.  We'll  see  what 
these  Hawaiian  Isles  have  to  interest  the 
curious  and  well-heeled  foreigner." 

It  is  four  and  one-third  miles  from  the 
Moana  Hotel  to  Bishop's  Bank.  Two 
months  after  his  arrival  in  Honolulu 
Henry  Potter  made  the  trip  in  response  to 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

an  urgent  telephone  summons  and  was  in- 
formed that  his  balance  was  exhausted. 
The  accountant  referred  him  to  a  cable- 
gram, which,  being  interpreted  by  the  aid 
of  an  A  B  C  Code-Book,  stated  that 
Thomas  Potter  would  honor  drafts  drawn 
on  him  by  Henry  Potter  to  the  total 
amount  of  five  thousand  dollars  and  no 
more. 

"  I'll  have  the  five  thousand  now,"  said 
Henry,  carelessly  picking  up  a  pen. 
"  Gimme  a  thousand  in  cash  and  the  rest 
in  exchange  on  any  old  bank  in  the  Orient. ' ' 

"  Hongkong?  Yokohama?  "  suggested 
the  accountant. 

"  Either,"  said  Henry.  "  IVe  seen 
your  Honolulu  inside,  outside  and  wayside. 
What  I  don't  know  about  this  town 
wouldn't  amount  to  the  daily  cable  report 
in  an  afternoon  paper." 

The  banker  used  a  blotter  on  the  shaky 
signature  and  assumed  a  meditative  air. 
He  seemed  about  to  say  something  but  evi- 
25 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

dently  thought  better  of  it.    He  failed  to 
see  Henry's  hand  outstretched  in  farewell. 

From  Honolulu  to  Yokohama  is  three 
thousand  three  hundred  and  ninety-four 
miles. 

Exactly  four  years  after  he  left  Prince- 
ton Henry  sat  in  a  Yokohama  hotel,  with 
a  glass  of  gin  beside  him,  and  wrote  to  his 
father  as  follows : 

"  Dear  Dad: 

11  I  had  a  very  fair  time  in  Honolulu  but 
saw  no  chance  to  do  any  business  in  our 
line.  Here  in  Yokohama  I  feel  sure  I  can 
find  an  opening  though  of  course  the  Japs 
try  to  make  out  that  they  can  do  without 
our  products. 

"  I'll  try  my  luck  here  a  while.  You 
know  we  have  no  agent  here  so  I  would 
suggest  that  I  open  an  agency  and  get  to- 
gether a  small  sales  force.  I  already  have 
an  eye  on  some  good  men. 
26 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

' '  I  know  you  think  I  left  San  Francisco 
hurriedly  and  without  sufficient  explana- 
tion. The  real  explanation  was  a  woman. 
Fascinating  and  —  well,  I  remembered  the 
advice  you  gave  me  about  that  Fairfield  af- 
fair and  I  simply  ran  away  —  couldn't  do 
anything  I  knew  you'd  disapprove. 

11  It  was  really  a  serious  affair.  I'm 
sorry,  but  I  saved  the  Potter  bacon  so- 
cially and  I'm  going  to  get  a  fresh  start 
here  just  to  show  you  what  I  can  do  before 
I  come  back  to  New  York. 

"  I  have  some  money  but  not  enough  to 
start  the  business  here  right.  Suppose 
you  give  me  a  credit  here  and  I'll  hustle 
and  show  you  what  I  can  do. 

"  Why  don't  you  drop  business  a  while 
and  come  across  and  have  a  look  at  the  sit- 
uation yourself?  We  could  plan  the  whole 
thing  together.  Affectionately, 

"  HARRY." 

"  That  last  paragraph  ought  to  land  the 
27 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

old  boy,"  Henry  mused  with  pride  in  his 
epistolary  skill.  "  Ask  him  to  come  out 
himself!  Great  idea!  You  couldn't  get 
him  here  with  a  traction  engine,  but  it'll 
put  him  off  the  scent.  And  that  story 
about  the  girl!  Hits  him  right  where  he 
lives  I  Hard  on  Edie,  but  the  old  man 
must  have  something  to  chew  on.  Soci- 
ety !  what  lies  are  told  in  thy  name  by  poor 
beggars  who  have  to  shake  the  paternal 
purse  once  in  a  while !  " 

One  year  later  Henry  Potter,  obese, 
puffy-eyed  and  husky  voiced,  swaggered 
into  the  hotel  followed  by  a  boisterous  com- 
pany who  talked  loudly  of  their  prepara- 
tions for  the  evening. 

"  No  thin'  like  havin*  a  rippin'  time,  old 
sport,"  said  one,  "  and  Yokohama's  the 
place  to  enjoy  yourself !  Say,  loan  me  — " 

But  Henry  was  staring  at  a  card  which 
the  clerk  handed  him.  It  bore  the  name  of 
Thomas  Potter.  He  turned  on  his  com- 
panions swiftly.  "  Say,  you  fellows!  I'll 
28 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

meet  you  at  Ushida's  at  six.  Busy 
now!  " 

They  trooped  out.  Henry  spoke  in  the 
ear  of  the  desk  clerk.  That  functionary 
nodded.  "  Yes,  he  came  in  with  the  pas- 
sengers from  the  Mongolia.  He  said  he 
would  be  back  for  dinner." 

Henry  hurried  to  his  room  and  stared 
at  himself  in  the  mirror.  "  Nothin'  do- 
in  V  he  said  thickly  to  his  image.  "  Beat 
it,  Henry!  "  He  fumbled  amid  the  raffle 
of  papers,  bills  and  magazines  on  the  ta- 
ble and  finally  found  a  daily  paper. 
"  Steamer  Bremen  for  Shanghai,  8  p.  M.," 
he  read  aloud.  He  counted  the  money  in 
his  pockets  and  sighed.  ' '  Not  much  to  go 
on.  But  Shanghai  is  my  place. ' ' 

It  is  ten  hundred  and  seventy  miles  from 
Yokohama  to  Shanghai.  Henry  Potter  ar- 
rived there  with  one  hastily  packed  trunk, 
a  couple  of  bags  and  eight  hundred  dollars 
in  cash. 

29 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

Two  weeks  after  his  son,  Thomas  Potter 
also  landed  in  Shanghai,  portly  and  very 
grim.  He  went  from  hotel  to  hotel  till  he 
found  the  one  he  sought,  a  small  place  in 
the  suburbs.  Here  he  put  up  under  the 
name  of  P.  Thomas  and  spent  a  week 
watching  the  guests  go  to  and  fro.  At 
four  o'clock  on  the  eighth  day  a  young 
man,  in  a  soiled  suit  of  white  duck,  bat- 
tered straw  hat  and  dusty  shoes  entered 
and  called  for  his  key.  Thomas  Potter 
rose  and  walked  to  the  desk.  The  new- 
comer did  not  see  him  but  took  his  key  in 
a  shaking  hand  and  started  for  his  room 
under  the  guidance  of  a  boy.  Thomas 
stopped  him  at  the  door. 

' '  Ahumph !  Humph !  A-hem !  "  he 
rumbled. 

Henry  whirled  around,  grinning  in  sickly 
fashion. 

"  I  missed  you  in  Yokohama,"  Thomas 
said  puffily.  "  I've  waited  a  week  here  to 
find  you." 

30 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

1 '  Away  on  business  —  little  trip," 
Henry  said  with  a  poor  attempt  to  be  airy. 

"  I  know  the  kind  of  business,  my  son," 
Thomas  responded  sternly. 

'  *  Well,  come  in,  anyhow !  ' ' 

They  entered  the  shaded  room  and 
Henry  proceeded  to  plunge  his  bursting 
head  into  cold  water.  Slightly  refreshed 
he  opened  his  bags  and  extracted  clean 
clothes.  He  dressed  without  shaving, 
while  his  father  sat  in  silence. 

"  Now  don't  lie  to  me,"  Thomas  said 
presently,  after  a  preliminary  volley. 

"  What's  the  use?  "  demanded  his  son. 

"  None.  For  five  years  you  have  trav- 
eled your  own  road.  You  have  cost  me 
two  hundred  thousand  dollars  and  my 
pride. ' ' 

"  You  miss  the  pride  more  than  the 
money,  don't  you?  "  was  the  remark  in  a 
hard  voice. 

Thomas  digested  this  and  rose.  "  I 
find  that  words  are  useless.  I  shall  act. 
31 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

You  can  have  no  more  of  my  money,  my 
son. ' ' 

"  Then  I'll  go  to  jail  for  my  hotel  bill." 

Thomas  panted.  "  I  —  I'll  settle  that, ' ' 
he  said  heavily.  "Ill  do  that  much. 
But  you  are  on  your  own  resources  from 
this  day." 

"  I  wish  you  would  tell  me  what  they 
are,"  Henry  said  reflectively. 

"Work!    Honest  work!  " 

"  What  work  can  I  do?  Who  would 
give  me  work?  " 

Thomas  almost  smiled  his  triumph. 
"  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  are  willing  to 
go  to  work?  " 

"  It  looks  as  if  I  would  have  to,  doesn't 
it?" 

His  father  was  melted.  "  I  knew  there 
was  a  decent  strain  in  you,"  he  said,  with 
assumed  roughness.  "  You  have  your 
good  points,  my  boy.  I'm  deuced  glad  you 
haven't  put  the  fat  in  the  fire  by  making  a 
rotten  marriage.  That's  one  credit.  But 
32 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

—  no  more  of  this  wildness.  Man,  I've 
followed  your  trail  from  San  Francisco  to 
this  place  by  the  gossip  —  scandalous 
tales !  Incredible !  ' ' 

Henry  laughed.  "  Look  here,  while 
we're  talking  this  over,  why  didn't  you 
keep  me  in  New  York?  " 

"Ahumph!  Humph!  A-hem!  "  said 
Thomas.  "  I  thought  it  would  be  better 
for  you  to  make  your  own  way  —  with 
plenty  of  money  and  my  backing,  of  course. 
A  young  man  amounts  to  nothing  in  New 
York  unless  he  has  a  reputation  for  mak- 
ing good  somewhere  else." 

Henry  got  on  his  feet,  swaggering  on 
the  dying  effects  of  what  he  had  drunk  the 
preceding  hundred  hours.  "  Well,  I  made 
my  own  way,  didn't  II  All  by  myself! 
Now  —  suppose  I  turn  around  and  make 
my  way  back  to  New  York  and  the  pater- 
nal millions?  " 

"Not  on  my  money!"  was  the  dis- 
gusted reply.  "  You're  a  pretty  picture! 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

You'd  make  any  father  proud!  Ahumph! 
Humph!  A-hem!  That  road  is  not  trav- 
eled twice  the  same  fashion,  my  son.  I'll 
get  you  a  position  —  a  good  one  —  right 
here  in  Shanghai.  I  guess  Thomas  Potter 
isn't  unknown  to  a  few  people  here.  When 
you  make  good,  then  we'll  talk  about  your 
coming  back." 

"  All  right.  Gimme  something  to  start 
on,  anyway,"  quoth  Henry.  "  I  owe  a 
few  little  bills." 

"  Of  course,"  his  father  assented.  "  I 
understand  that  you  can't  be  pinched.  I'll 
fix  it  so  you  can  have  an  extra  sum  above 
your  salary.  I'll  inquire  what  is  sup- 
posed to  be  a  good  allowance  here  for  a 
young  man  with  a  position." 

The  next  morning  Thomas  was  very 
busy.  In  the  afternoon  he  found  Henry 
in  bed  and  announced  his  achievements. 
"  A  good  job  in  an  exporting  house,  the 
equivalent  of  twelve  hundred  dollars  a 
year  with  the  prospect  of  more  at  the  end 
34 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

of  twelve  months.  Simpson's  Exporting 
Company.  I  have  arranged  that  an  extra 
fifty  dollars  be  paid  you  each  month  by  the 
Hongkong  and  Shanghai  Bank.  I  will 
catch  the  steamer  to-night  for  San  Fran- 
cisco. I'll  expect  you  back  in  two  years, 
son." 

Henry  laughed  and  invited  his  father  to 
supper.  "  Pleasure  after  business,"  he 
remarked. 

"  Well,  well,  you've  sown  your  wild  oats. 
Now  for  a  steady  and  respectable  career, 
Harry." 

Having  seen  his  father  off  Henry  re- 
turned to  the  hotel,  drank  three  cocktails, 
called  a  rig  and  — 

It  is  one-quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  of- 
fice of  Simpson's  Exporting  Company  to 
Sam-shew-sing's  dive  in  Metter  Alley. 
Henry  Potter  made  the  distance  in  one 
year,  one  month  and  four  days. 

He  entered  the  hot,  foul  shanty,  tossed 
35 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

his  ragged  hat  into  the  face  of  a  sleeping 
Chinese  and  held  up  before  his  filmed  eyes 
a  gold  ring  with  a  small  stone  in  it.  Sam- 
shew-sing  rose,  slipped  his  bare  feet  into 
straw  sandals  and  plucked  the  bauble  from 
Henry's  hand. 

"  I  b'long  your  fiend,"  Henry  said,  lick- 
ing dry  lips.  "  I  likee  gin  and  smoke. 
You  ketchum  chop-chop.  Sabe!  " 

The  ring  vanished  into  some  recess  in 
Sam-shew-sing's  filthy  garments  and  a 
black  bottle  of  "  square-face  "  appeared. 
Henry  uncorked  it  with  his  teeth  and 
stared  round  among  the  shadows  of  the 
den.  "  Anybody  here  join  me?  " 

There  was  a  stir  in  one  of  the  smoke 
blackened  shelves  and  a  woman  swung  her 
feet  out  and  dropped  to  the  earthen  floor. 
Henry  gasped.  ' l  A  white  woman !  ' ' 

"  With  a  thirst,"  she  answered  in  a  low 
voice. 

They  drank. 

36 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

It  was  a  hot  autumn  afternoon.  The 
breeze  from  the  great  river  eddied 
in  Metter  Alley  and  revolved  slowly 
the  mingled  odors  of  decaying  garbage, 
frying  pork  and  blistering  tar-paint. 
Sam-shew-sing's  open  door  gave  a  vista 
of  rutted  road,  a  dry  gutter  and  a  green 
latticed  gate  across  the  way.  An  exceed- 
ingly soiled  white  goose  pulled  awk- 
wardly at  the  string  which  tied  it  by  one 
foot  to  a  short  stake. 

Henry  took  it  all  in  for  five  minutes. 
He  turned  back  into  the  hovel  with  a  yawn. 
The  girl  was  on  the  shelf  that  served  as  a 
couch,  mixing  a  pellet  for  her  pipe.  She 
glanced  up  to  say,  "  Been  smoking  long?  " 

"  Never  yet,"  Henry  told  her.  "  Here- 
tofore I've  enjoyed  the  social  vices  —  wine 
and  song.  I  have  no  money  to  buy  wine 
and  song  has  palled. 

"  You're  a  toff!  "  was  the  unexpected 
assertion  from  the  couch. 
37 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"  A  toff,"  Henry  repeated  gravely. 
"  Madam,  you  have  hit  the  nail  on  the 
head!" 

The  girl  gave  the  opium  pellet  a  final 
roll  and  dropped  it  on  a  little  sheet  of  tin. 
Her  eyes  glanced  over  the  tatterdemalion 
who  spoke  thus  nonchalantly.  She  exam- 
ined him  from  his  neatly  clipped  hair  to 
his  patent  leather  shoes.  She  nodded. 
"  A  toff!  You  must  have  come  a  long 
ways  to  get  down  to  this." 

She  included  the  shanty,  the  dozing 
Chinese,  the  earthen  floor,  the  sooty 
fireplace,  the  doorway  open  upon  the 
squalid  alley  in  one  short  sweep  of  a  thin 
hand. 

"  It  was  a  long  way,"  Potter  confessed, 
helping  himself  to  more  liquor.  "  A  long 
way,  my  dear,  with  many  sights  by  the 
roadside.  But  this  is  the  end  of  it!  " 

She  lit  the  wick  of  an  infinitesimal  can- 
dle-end, held  the  pellet  sizzling  in  the 
flame  and  thrust  it  into  the  brass  bowl  of 
38 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

the  pipe,  inhaling  deeply.  It  was  some 
minutes  before  she  spoke  again. 

"  So  you've  come  to  Sam-shew-sing's  at 
last!  Where  chits  are  no  good  and  check 
books  unknown!  Well,  there's  one  conso- 
lation: you  can't  get  any  lower!  " 

"  Not  so  long  as  that  ring  of  mine  pays 
my  way,"-  he  remarked.  "  It  ought  to  gild 
a  few  days  here.  It  cost  me  a  couple  of 
hundred. ' ' 

"  Sam-shew  is  a  robber,"  she  mur- 
mured. "  But  even  he  wouldn't  dare  put 
you  out  under  a  three-month,  unless  you 
insist  on  first-chop  hop." 

"  Explain.  Elucidate.  Put  me  wise," 
Henry  pleaded.  "  I  am  bent  on  economy. 
Eash  expenditure  is  forbidden.  Why 
should  I  possibly  insist  on  first-chop 
hop?" 

"  Good  opium,"  she  said  quietly. 
"  This  stuff  is  the  cheapest.  But  it 
doesn  't  kill  you  so  quickly. ' ' 

"  Ah,  I  see  the  advantage  in  first-chop. 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

I  may  yet  indulge  therein,  fair  damsel." 

She  heated  the  pipe  bowl  again  and  blew 
out  the  candle.  Henry  took  a  seat  on  a 
stool  near  her.  "  Going  to  sleep?  " 

She  shook  her  head.  "  No.  I  don't 
sleep  so  much  now.  I  just  dream." 

"  Impertinent,  I  know,"  he  proceeded, 
"  but  what  do  you  dream  about?  " 

"  Digging  worms  in  a  soft  garden  to  go 
fishing  with  my  brother,"  she  answered 
simply. 

He  stared.    "  You're  joking!  " 

"  No.  When  I  was  a  little  girl  that's 
what  I  used  to  do." 

"  I  never  fished  with  worms,"  Henry 
Potter  mused  aloud.  "  I  always  had  a 
fly-hook." 

Under  the  influence  of  the  drug  the  girl 
suddenly  turned  querulous.  "  Of  course, 
you  toffs !  I  suppose  you  never  went  bare- 
foot nor  stole  apples  nor  walked  on  home- 
made stilts  nor  swung  in  a  barrel-stave 
hammock!  " 

40 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"All  that  is  outside  my  —  er  —  exten- 
sive experience,  I  regret  to  say. ' ' 

11  Money  in  every  pocket,  fine  clothes, 
college,  champagne  and  gold-tipped  ciga- 
rettes instead,"  she  said  crossly.  "  Well, 
you're  down  to  Sam-shew-sing's  planks 
and  rotten  dope  now.  That's  one  satisfac- 
tion." 

"  I  fail  to  appreciate  it,"  he  remarked 
calmly. 

Her  mood  had  changed  again.  He 
caught  her  drowsy  whisper:  "  Poor  fel- 
low! '  It  seemed  to  express  a  profound, 
womanly  pity.  It  stirred  him  to  the  ugly 
depths.  He  kicked  the  stool  away  and 
reached  for  the  half-empty  bottle. 

It  was  midnight  when  he  awoke,  as  a 
battered  American  alarm  clock  and  a  dark- 
ened doorway  told  him.  He  sat  up  on  the 
hard,  polished  board,  bumped  his  head 
against  the  shelf  above  him  and  swore  vi- 
ciously. The  Chinese  was  broad  awake 
and  sitting  at  a  little  table  with  a  couple 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

of  his  countrymen.  Their  beady  eyes 
were  intent  on  a  game  of  dominoes.  He 
saw  that  several  sleepers  occupied  the 
bunks  about  the  room,  which  was  filled 
with  the  dull,  acrid  smoke  of  opium.  He 
got  up  and  tapped  Sam-shew-sing  on  the 
shoulder.  "  Ketchem  bottle?  " 

The  Chinese  made  an  impatient  gesture. 
Henry  followed  its  direction,  spied  the  gin 
and  helped  himself  generously.  Then  he 
rolled  a  cigarette  and  sat  down  on  the 
bunk. 

His  thoughts  were  dismal  indeed.  Ac- 
customed as  he  was  to  clean  linen  and  the 
best  of  food  he  was  revolted  by  his  own 
filthy  garments  while  his  stomach  cried 
loudly  for  delicate  victuals.  He  knew  the 
hopelessness  of  asking  for  an  omelet 
dressed  with  fresh  herbs  and  he  was  also 
sure  that  his  soiled  clothes  must  last  him 
as  they  were.  "  I'll  have  a  whiff  of  that 
pipe  they  praise  so  highly,"  he  thought 
42 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

despondently.    "  I  might  as  well  take  the 
final  step  first  as  last." 

He  had  taken  a  second  half  tumblerful  of 
gin  when  someone  entered  through  the 
doorway  with  a  brisk,  assured  step.  He 
peered  across  the  room  and  saw  the  white 
woman,  gaudily  dressed  and  swinging  a  big 
garden  hat  by  the  ribbons.  Changed  as 
she  was  by  dress  and  manner  he  recog- 
nized her  and  was  glad  she  had  returned, 
for  no  reason  except  that  she  seemed  to 
make  the  horrible  den  less  loathsome  —  a 
good  indication  of  the  depths  to  which  the 
once  meticulous  Potter  was  descended. 

She  paid  no  attention  to  the  Chinese  nor 
the  other  occupants  of  the  room,  but  came 
over  and  stood  in  front  of  Henry. 

"  Now  I  know  who  you  are,"  she  said 
in  her  customary  low  voice.  ' '  I  knew  you 
were  a  toff,  but  I  never  suspected  that  you 
were  you!  '• 

"  What  do  you  mean?  "  he  demanded. 
43 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

She  tossed  her  hat  into  her  bunk  and 
smoothed  her  hair  down.  "  I  sing  at  Sit 
Que's  cafe,"  she  retorted.  "  You  came 
there  several  times  with  your  pals.  Threw 
money  around  like  sand.  Oh,  yes !  ' ' 

He  wrinkled  his  eyelids  and  cocked  his 
head  on  one  side.  ' '  I  believe  I  do  see  that 
you  are  the  lady  who  sang,"  he  said  slowly. 
' '  I  never  met  you. ' ' 

She  shook  her  head.  "I'm  not  the 
sort,"  she  said  briefly.  "  I  smoke  hop,  but 
I'm  straight,  my  friend." 

' '  And  —  in  —  Sam-shew-sing  's !  "  he 
said  lazily,  feeling  the  warmth  of  the  liquor 
through  his  aching  limbs. 

She  flushed  angrily.  "Yes!  Why? 
Because  I  don't  go  after  the  money!  I 
make  enough  to  keep  body  and  soul  to- 
gether and  have  a  smoke  and  dream  of  old 
times.  That's  me!  I'll  last  another  three 
months  and  then — "  She  snapped  her 
fingers. 

"Death?    Hell?    Eh?" 
44 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"  They're  both  here,"  she  said  som- 
berly. "  No.  Heaven!  " 

"What  a  fortunate  outlook!  I  regret 
that  I  can't  expect  any  change  for  the  bet- 
ter in  my  future.  Well,  the  world  wags !  ' ' 

"  I'll  make  a  cup  of  tea  and  we'll  have 
a  dip  into  the  Chink's  rice  pot,"  she  said 
abruptly. 

"  I  am  with  you.  Why  this  kindness  to 
me?  I  am  filthy  and  unshorn  and  forlorn 
and  penniless  —  except  what  credit  I  have 
with  our  honest  friend  here." 

She  smiled  wanly.  "I'll  tell  you  why 
presently.  I've  been  thinking.  There's 
something  I  want  you  to  do  for  me." 

He  drank  the  tea  and  picked  at  the  rice 
till  even  a  feverish  determination  to  fortify 
his  rebellious  stomach  could  not  make  his 
throat  swallow  another  morsel.  Then  he 
drank  more  gin,  lit  a  cigarette  and  watched 
the  girl  —  he  decided  that  she  could  not  be 
over  twenty-one  —  take  down  her  hair  and 
put  a  vast  mother-hubbard  gown  over  her 
45 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

street  dress.    She  sat  down  and  faced  him. 

"  I  want  you  to  tell  me  how  you  hap- 
pened to  be  here,"  she  said  earnestly. 
"  First,  how  old  are  you?  " 

"  Twenty-eight." 

"  And  how  long  since  you've  been  on  the 
toboggan!  " 

He  shook  his  head.  "  I  don't  really 
know." 

"  I  mean,  how  long  since  you've  seen 
the  end  —  this!"  she  indicated  the  hovel 
scornfully. 

1 1 1  parted  with  my  last  cent  twenty-four 
hours  ago,  if  that's  what  you  mean,"  he 
said.  "  I  was  kicked  out  of  my  hotel  yes- 
terday morning  when  I  tried  to  sneak  in 
and  get  some  clean  clothes." 

"All  right!  Forget  it,"  she  said  an- 
grily. "  A  girl  at  the  cafe  said  you  were 
a  good  sort.  Seems  you  gave  her  money 
to  get  her  sister  into  a  hospital.  Well,  I 
told  her  you  were  here." 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

She  cast  a  quick  glance  at  the  Chinese, 
assured  herself  that  they  were  intent  on 
their  game  and  flicked  a  knotted  handker- 
chief into  Henry's  hand.  "  She  sent  it  to 
you.  Now  beat  it  while  your  shoes  are 
good.  Get  out  of  here.  Get  clean  clothes 
and  a  job.  You  at  the  end  of  your  rope? 
Nonsense!  You  don't  smoke.  Be  a 
man. ' ' 

Potter  untied  the  knot  and  ten  sover- 
eigns rolled  into  his  palm.  He  silently 
knotted  them  up  again  and  tossed  the 
handkerchief  into  her  lap. 

"  Nothing  doing  with  me,"  he  said  gen- 
tly. "I'm  low.  But  not  that  low. ' ' 

The  girl  leaned  forward,  earnest  eyes  on 
his.  "  Say,  she  meant  it!  You're  a  toff! 
You're  not  down  and  out !  Get  a  job !  Go 
to  work!  Be  a  man!  Take  the  coin  and 
get  a  start.  You  can  pay  it  back. ' ' 

Potter  shook  his  head  and  drank  another 
half  tumblerful  of  the  raw  gin.  ' '  Kid,  you 
47 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

don't  know  me.  That  fifty  bucks  would 
last  me  fifty  minutes  and  then  —  back  to 
Sam-shew-sing's!  I'm  a  dead  bird." 

She  frowned.  "  It's  a  chance  for  you," 
she  persisted,  slowly.  "  You  look  like  a 
good  sort,  dirty  as  you  are.  But  a  month 
here  and  you  are  done  for!  Say,  ain't 
there  a  fatted  calf  waiting  for  you  some- 
wheres?  " 

"  Not  that  I  know  of?  " 

"Or  a  girl?" 

"  Cut  it  out,"  he  said  roughly. 

"  Don't  be  so  saucy!  I'm  quite  entitled 
to  ask  after  your  lady  friends.  It  doesn't 
become  you  to  play  the  toff  here.  You're 
a  tramp,  a  beachcomber,  Mister  Man. 
You're  in  a  hop  joint  in  Metter  Alley  and 
I  guess  you'd  better  act  according."  She 
rose  and  commenced  to  dicker  with  the  Chi- 
nese for  the  drug. 

Six  days  later  Sam-shew-sing  refused 
Henry  Potter  another  bottle  of  liquor  and 
in  the  ensuing  altercation  the  white  man 
48 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

was  kicked  out  into  Metter  Alley.  After 
half  an  hour's  crawling  about  in  the  dark- 
ness the  girl's  intercession  got  him  back 
within  the  shelter  of  the  den;  sick  and  de- 
spairing and  crushed.  He  sat  on  the 
earthen  floor  and  sobbed.  He  had  reached 
the  abyss. 

The  girl  considered  him  at  length,  sit- 
ting on  the  edge  of  her  bunk,  elbows  on 
knees.  In  her  eyes  was  an  expression  of 
almost  maternal  compassion. 

When  he  was  slightly  composed  she  gave 
him  a  stiff  drink,  rolled  him  a  cigarette 
and  made  him  sit  on  a  stool. 

"  Now,  friend,"  she  said  calmly,  "  have 
you  had  enough?  " 

He  tried  to  resume  a  jaunty  air. 
' '  Quite  a  helping,  thank  you !  ' : 

"  Where's  your  home?  ' 

"  New  York,"  was  the  sulky  answer. 

"  That's  a  long  way,"  she  sighed.  "  If 
it  were  nearer  you  might  make  it. ' ' 

"It's  ten  thousand,  one  hundred  and 
49 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

twenty-nine  miles,"  he  remarked.  "  I 
have  it  all  totted  up  in  my  pocket-book.  I 
mean  to  say,  I  had  it.  The  pocket-book  is 
gone  where  the  woodbine  twineth." 

"  Ten  thousand  one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-nine miles!  "  she  repeated  slowly. 
"  If  you  were  only  a  man  you  could  make 
it!" 

"  It  took  me  six  years  to  come,"  he  said 
airily. 

11  You  couldn't  get  back  in  ten,"  she  re- 
plied, looking  at  him  curiously. 

Under  the  stimulation  of  the  fiery  gin 
he  laughed.  *  *  I  made  it  in  several  stages : 
Pittsburg,  Fairfield,  Iowa,  San  Francisco, 
Honolulu,  Yokohama,  Shanghai.  Last 
stop:  Sam-she  w-sing's  hop  joint  in  Met- 
ter  Alley." 

"  Has  your  father  any  money?  ' 

"A  Croesus!  A  Pittsburg  million- 
aire! " 

"  And  he  threw  you  over?    Then  you 
haven't  got  any  mother  I  " 
50 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

Henry  laughed.  "  Lemme  tell  you 
about  the  old  man,"  he  chuckled. 

He  related  the  story  of  Thomas's  visit  to 
Shanghai.  She  refused  even  a  smile.  ' '  I 
see.  You'd  be  ashamed  to  go  back  now." 

"  He's  proud  as  the  devil.  He  wouldn't 
look  at  me  if  I  turned  up  broke  and  with- 
out a  shave.  If  I  blew  in  with  good 
clothes,  rings  on  my  fingers  and  patent 
leather  boots  on  my  toes  and  money  in  my 
pocket,  he  might  have  —  the  veal.  When 
prodigal  sons  come  home  from  foreign 
parts  nowadays,  my  dear,  they  get  no  wel- 
come unless  they  bring  a  little  foreign  cap- 
ital with  'em." 

"  And  you've  been  kicked  out  by  a 
Chink !  ' '  she  said  reflectively. 

' '  Not  again !  ' ;  His  brow  darkened  omi- 
nously. 

"  Then  it's  the  police  and  the  jail  for 
you,"  she  interposed.  "  And  that's  no 
recommendation!  " 

He  fell  instantly  despondent  again. 
51 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"  Oh,  I'm  a  hopeless  case.  What's  the 
good  of  talking  about  it?  Why  don't  we 
discuss  your  soul  a  little?  " 

She  looked  at  him  steadily.  "I'd 
worry  less  about  my  soul  if  I  could  get  you 
out  of  this.  You're  so  disgusting  I  can 
barely  talk  to  you,  but  I'd  really  like  to 
make  a  man  out  of  you." 

"  In  love  with  me?  " 

She  shook  her  head.  "  Not  even  a  little. 
I'm  fussy,  of  course.  Still,  there  may  be 
the  makings  of  a  man  somewhere  about 
you,  though  you  don 't  look  it. ' ' 

11  Flattered,  indeed!  " 

"  I  know  —  you  think  that's  the  lowest 
degradation,  to  have  a  cafe  girl  put  up  her 
nose.  Well,  you  needn 't  put  on  airs.  But 
I  would  like  to  get  you  started  again. ' ' 

Something  in  her  tone  broke  through  the 
hard  shell  of  his  recklessness.  He  got  up 
and  sought  a  basin  and  cold  water.  He 
spent  ten  minutes  over  his  toilet  and  came 
back  and  sat  down. 

52 


"I  believe  you  really  care,"  he  mut- 
tered. "  IVe  been  a  pretty  poor  kind  of 
scoundrel  several  times  and  an  awful  ass 
all  the  time.  But  I  —  I  really  would  like 
to  repay  a  kindness  which  takes  no  account 
of  dirty  clothes,  a  week's  beard  and  the 
reek  of  gin.  So  you  have  hopes  of  me?  " 

"It's  a  long  way  back,"  she  said 
mournfully.  "  I  know  what  it  would  cost 
you.  It  isn't  simply  a  matter  of  going 
back  to  New  York  a  prodigal  son.  You'd 
fall  for  the  same  thing  again.  It's  the 
going  back  the  way  you  came!  If  you 
were  really  a  man,  you'd  do  that.  You'd 
go  back  over  the  old  road  and  reach  your 
father's  house  with  a  clean  record  behind 
you.  Oh,  but  it  would  be  hard!  " 

The  silence  was  broken  only  by  the  click 
of  the  ivory  dominoes  on  the  table.  Potter 
sat,  chin  on  his  palm,  and  thought  as  he 
had  never  thought  before,  while  the  girl 
twisted  her  fingers  together  and  swallowed 
constantly  something  in  her  throat. 
53 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

Presently  Henry  said  musingly,  "  Ten 
thousand,  one  hundred  and  twenty-nine 
miles  and  a  quarter.'' 

"  And  a  quarter?  "  she  repeated. 

' '  My  last  respectable  appearance  —  and 
my  final  appearance  —  was  one  quarter  of 
a  mile  from  Metter  Alley,  in  the  office  of 
the  excellent  Simpson.  My  dear,  that 
quarter  of  a  mile  will  stump  me!  " 

She  looked  at  him  searchingly,  with 
quivering  lips.  Henry  went  to  the  basin 
and  once  more  scrubbed  his  face  with  cold 
water.  When  he  came  back  she  reached 
into  the  dark  bunk  and  pulled  from  its 
hiding  place  a  knotted  handkerchief.  It 
flicked  into  his  palm  again.  He  kept  it. 

"  Clothes  and  your  board,"  she  said 
hastily.  "  You  can  pay  it  back.  My  God, 
be  a  man,  and  don't  throw  me  down!  I 
don't  want  ever  to  see  you  again  till  you 
can  walk  into  Sit  Que  's  sober,  well-dressed, 
with  money  in  your  pocket  and  say,  '  Kid, 
I've  got  back  the  quarter  of  a  mile !  '  Just 
64 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

that,  and  I'll  be  happy,  perfectly  happy! 
Then  you  leave  Shanghai  and  go  the  rest 
of  the  way!  ' 

Henry  sought  the  den  over  till  he  found 
a  scrap  of  rice  paper.  He  appropriated 
Sam-shew-sing's  ink-saucer  and  brush  and 
made  the  following  schedule: 

Sam-shew-sing's  to  Simpson's %  mile 

Shanghai  to  Yokohama 1070 

Yokohama  to  Honolulu 3394 

Honolulu  to  San  Francisco 2091 

San  Francisco  to  Fairfield,  la 2476 

Fairfleld,  la.,  to  Pittsburg 612 

Pittsburg  to  New  York  City 486 

10,129^4 

He  handed  her  the  paper.  "  I  remem- 
ber all  those  distances  because  I  used  to 
have  to  know  'em  in  the  shipping  end  of 
the  business.  I'm  glad  the  first  number 
is  a  fraction.  It  looks  easy,  at  least. ' ' 

She  held  the  figures  in  tense  hands. 
"  And  you'll  go  back  —  every  mile  of  the 
way?  " 

He  nodded,  his  eyes  shining  with  re- 
55 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

newed  hope.  "  Every  foot,  every  mile,  all 
the  way  to  my  father's  house  on  West  Fif- 
ty-sixth street!  " 

She  was  strangely  excited.  She  put  the 
paper  away  and  drew  him  to  the  door, 
past  the  absorbed  Chinese.  The  dawn  was 
whitening  the  Eastern  sky  and  a  fresh 
wind  blew  from  the  great  river.  "  Hur- 
ry! "  she  whispered.  ' l  To-day !  and  never 
come  back  here!  All  I  ask  —  all  I 
want — " 

"  What  is  it?  " 

"Let  me  know  —  just  drop  a  card  to 
Marcelle  at  the  cafe  each  time  you  make 
another  stage  on  your  way  back.  That's 
all." 

He  glanced  at  her  pallid  face  and  weary 
eyes.  She  was  shivering.  He  patted  her 
on  the  shoulder.  * '  Go  back  and  get  warm. 
I'm  all  right.  I'll  send  you  the  ten  pounds 
as  soon  as  I  can." 

Then,    under    a    sudden    impulse,    he 
stooped  and  kissed  her. 
56 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

He  went  up  the  alley,  his  bare  head  high 
with  new  resolve. 
Let  us  ascend  with  Henry  Potter. 


II 

THE  COMING 

FIRST  STAGE 


FOE  a  week  he  devoted  himself  to 
physical  recuperation.  He  sought 
out  a  cheap  lodging  in  a  part  of  the  city 
removed  from  his  old  haunts,  purchased 
some  decent,  inexpensive  clothes  and  then 
tried  to  remedy  the  sins  of  years  by  a 
strenuous  course  of  walking,  bathing  and 
water-sipping.  At  the  end  of  seven  days 
he  stared  at  himself  in  the  cracked  mirror 
and  shook  his  head.  Some  of  the  un- 
healthy flesh  added  by  years  of  luxurious 
living  was  gone,  but  muscle  and  robust 
color  had  not  yet  arrived.  Still,  he  ob- 
served that  he  looked  different  than  he 
remembered  to  have  looked  since  he  left 
college.  "  Maybe  I'm  sober,"  he  mused. 
11  At  least  I'm  miserable  enough." 

That  he  could  jest  at  all  was  sign  of  his 
vitality,  for  the  week  had  been  one  of  ab- 
solute   agony,    varying   from    the    acute 
61 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

wretchedness  of  the  morning  hours  to  the 
burning  misery  of  the  evening ;  from  phys- 
ical weakness  to  mental  self-abhorrence. 
Bemorse  and  shame  were  his  companions 
and  his  cheek  was  constantly  flushed  with 
mortification.  The  long  road  he  had  trav- 
eled in  six  years  with  care-free  joviality, 
selfish  absorption  and  heedless  lavishing 
of  time  and  money  and  strength  seemed  in 
retrospect  a  long  career  of  inexplicable  sil- 
liness, rascality  and  disgrace.  A  thousand 
times  he  was  driven  out-of-doors  by  the 
stinging  lash  of  memory  reawakening  and 
a  thousand  times  he  managed  to  refrain 
from  the  liquor  he  craved,  control  himself 
and  suffer. 

Now  he  was  come  to  the  hardest  part  of 
his  task.  Simpson,  the  exporter,  stood 
like  a  horrible  menace  at  the  entrance  of 
the  homeward  road  —  Simpson  the  calm, 
the  respectable,  the  formal,  the  business- 
like. Henry  remembered  his  final  inter- 
62 


view  with  him.  At  the  time  he  had  flung 
out  of  the  office  with  a  sense  of  having 
put  Simpson  in  his  place.  He  recalled  the 
scene  with  a  heavy  blush. 

"  It's  got  to  be  done,"  he  muttered  to 
himself.  "  Can't  leave  Simpson  behind. 
—  Here  goes!  " 

The  polyglot  Chinese  porter  at  the  ware- 
house received  Henry  doubtfully.  He  did 
not  think  Mr.  Simpson  could  be  seen. 

"  I  must  see  him,"  Henry  said  reso- 
lutely. "  Ask  him  for  just  three  minutes 
of  his  time." 

The  porter  glanced  at  Henry's  clothes, 
his  face  and  his  eyes,  seemed  favorably  im- 
pressed and  departed.  He  was  gone  some 
time  and  Henry  felt  the  cold  sweat  of  phys- 
ical weakness  oozing  in  his  palms.  The 
eyes  of  the  clerks  within  the  glass  cage, 
apparently  bent  on  their  books,  he  knew  to 
be  scanning  him  and  exchanging  glances. 
His  face  grew  crimson.  He  was  on  the 
63 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

point  of  retiring  to  come  another  time 
when  he  was  informed  that  Mr.  Simpson 
would  see  him.  He  marched  into  the  fa- 
miliar private  office,  closed  the  door  behind 
him  and  nodded  to  the  gray-haired  man 
at  the  big,  orderly  desk. 

"  What  is  it,  Mr.  Potter?  " 

"  Two  things,"  said  Henry,  trying  to 
control  his  voice.  ' '  When  I  left  here  yon 
remarked  that  I  had  cost  your  firm  several 
hundred  dollars.  I  wish  to  pay  that  back. 
Secondly,  I  would  like  a  place  —  any  place 
—  in  your  establishment,  on  trial." 

"  In  the  first  place,"  was  the  prompt  re- 
ply, "  I  charged  the  loss  against  my  desire 
to  do  your  father  a  favor.  In  the  second 
place  I  don't  feel  that  I  care  to  increase 
the  account  by  giving  you  any  kind  of  a 
position  in  my  house." 

Henry's     wits     were     working     more 

smoothly.     "  I  could  get  another  position, 

sir,  with  another  firm,  in  spite  of  my  record 

with  you.    There's  always  a  job  for  the 

64* 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

repentant  prodigal  whose  father  is  worth 
millions.  I'm  trying  to  forget  that  fact. 
I  realize  my  criminal  foolishness.  I'm  de- 
termined to  make  good,  and  my  only  way 
to  make  good  lies  through  your  office.  I'll 
take  any  wages  and  any  work  you  think 
best,  so  long  as  it  will  pay  my  board  and 
lodging  —  which  isn't  much. ' ' 

"  And  come  down  on  your  father  as 
usual?  " 

"  I  intend  to  surprise  him  agreeably," 
Henry  said  firmly.  "It  is  a  very  hard 
thing  for  me  to  do,  but  I  beg  to  call  your 
attention  to  the  fact  that  I  am  exceedingly 
sober — " 

"  No  money!  " 

Henry  held  out  his  hand  with  two  gold 
coins  therein.  "  Sober,  sir,  in  my  right 
mind  and  not  trying  to  borrow  or  steal. 
If  you  will  consider  these  amazing  facts, 
sir,  you  may  think  of  my  application  more 
favorably." 

"  You  were  in  an  opium  dive  ten  days 
65 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

ago,"  was  the  chilly  reply.  "  At  your 
father's  cabled  request  I  took  just  pains 
enough  to  ascertain  where  you  were." 

Henry's  flushed  face  took  on  a  deeper 
hue.  He  kept  his  voice  steady.  "  Quite 
true.  Can  I  have  a  job  for  a  month?  " 

Mr.  Simpson  looked  absurdly  abused. 

"I'll  allow  you  fifty  dollars  gold  a 
month  and  you  can  keep  books  —  on  trial — 
under  my  Chinese  clerk." 

Henry  realized  that  this  was  a  job  usu- 
ally given  some  stray  pensioner  but 
promptly  accepted  it.  Fifteen  minutes 
later  he  was  trying  to  steady  his  fingers 
around  a  pen  and  decipher  the  yellow  bills 
he  was  to  enter  on  a  page  that  was  by  no 
means  plain  before  him.  "  This  is  going 
to  be  the  longest  quarter  of  a  mile  in  the 
entire  circuit  of  the  terrestrial  globe,"  he 
murmured  to  himself. 

One  month  afterwards  Mr.  Simpson  paid 
him  fifty  dollars  in  gold  and  looked  at  him 
inquiringly.  Henry  answered  the  mute 
66 


question.    "I'd  like  to  keep  the  job,  sir." 

1 1  For  another  month,  then. ' '  Mr.  Simp- 
son dismissed  him  curtly. 

That  night  Henry  Potter  entered  Sit 
Que's  cafe  at  eight  o'clock,  the  dullest  hour 
of  the  evening.  Marcelle  was  singing  a 
dismal  ditty  to  empty  tables  to  the  accom- 
paniment of  an  old  piano  pounded  indus- 
triously by  a  long-fingered  Portuguese. 
Henry  stood  in  the  shadow  of  a  mechanical 
organ  till  her  song  was  concluded  and 
then  walked  forward  to  where  she  rested, 
fanning  herself.  A  quick  twist  of  his  wrist 
and  a  knotted  handkerchief  fell  in  her 
lap.  She  looked  up.  Henry  raised  five 
fingers. 

"  Half  of  what  I  owe  you,"  he  said. 

Her  glance  at  him  was  peculiarly  ear- 
nest. He  saw  that  the  pupils  of  her  eyes 
were  dilated,  giving  her  a  strange  gravity. 

"  Yes,"  he  went  on,  "I'm  all  right. 
Been  working  a  month.  It's  a  long  quar- 
ter of  a  mile!  " 

67 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"  You  aren't  eating  enough,"  she  said 
quickly. 

"  Plenty!  No  luxuries,  of  course,  as 
I'm  trying  to  pay  up  some  debts." 

She  made  a  pleading  gesture  with  her 
hands.  "  Don't  stay  here,"  she  whis- 
pered. "  Some  of  your  old  crowd  might 
come  in  —  it's  dangerous.  Good-by!  " 

"  Till  next  month!  " 

Mr.  Simpson  held  the  shining  coins  that 
were  the  reward  of  Henry's  second  trial 
some  time  before  letting  them  go.  "  You 
seem  to  be  in  earnest,  young  man." 

"  Have  I  another  month?  " 

"  You  have.  Try  your  hand  at  selling 
again,"  Simpson  continued.  "  Salary 
and  commissions." 

"  Much  obliged,"  said  Henry. 

11  See  Murphy.  He  has  a  big  consign- 
ment of  goods  just  in  from  up  the 
river." 

In  due  time  he  saw  Murphy  and  found 
that  personage  apparently  distracted. 
68 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

He  snarled  at  Henry.  "  You  back  again? 
Why  on  earth  didn't  the  boss  send  me  a 
real  man?  Look  here,  Potter,  this  is  too 
stiff  a  game  for  you.  I  know  you.  Go 
back  and  tell  Simpson  I  told  you  I  wanted 
somebody  that  would  work." 

11  Forget  it,"  said  Henry,  slangily. 
"  What's  the  trouble?  " 

Murphy  stared  at  his  new  assistant. 
"  Hunh?  Say,  have  you  cut  out  the  flow- 
ery dalliance  with  the  winecup?  Hunh? 
Well,  all  right,  then.  There  are  three  buy- 
ers for  the  biggest  houses  in  New  York 
right  here  in  Shanghai.  And  the  goods 
weVe  got  in  from  the  upper  country 
haven't  been  assorted,  checked  or  re- 
packed. They  aren't  in  shape  for  me  to 
handle.  Simpson  must  think  — 

11  He  sent  me  to  help  you,"  said  Henry. 
"  What  do  you  want  done?  " 

Within  five  minutes  Henry  understood 
that  unless  some  three  hundred  tons  of 
Chinese  goods  were  put  in  shape  for  in- 
69 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

spection  by  the  buyers  within  three  days, 
Simpson's  Exporting  Company  would  lose 
not  only  a  large  sum  immediately,  but  val- 
ued connections.  Together  Murphy  and 
he  looked  at  the  piles  of  bales,  straw  sacks, 
boxes  and  bundles.  "  And  those  fellows 
won't  wait  a  day  after  Saturday  and  it's 
Wednesday  now, ' '  mourned  the  sales  man- 
ager. 

"  You  tend  to  'em  afternoons  and  even- 
ings," Henry  remarked.  "  Lemme  have 
a  couple  of  porters  and  I'll  wrestle  this 
stuff  into  shape." 

' '  But  you  know  nothing  about  it !  "  said 
Murphy,  tearing  at  his  curly  hair.  "  And 
if  I  stay  here  my  men  will  think  I'm  not 
hospitable  and  if  I  stay  with  them  you'll 
make  a  mess  of  it." 

"  Go  forth  and  dally  with  the  full  meal 
and  the  tall  glass,"  quoth  Henry.  He 
stripped  off  jacket,  collar  and  tie,  rolled 
up  his  sleeves  and  fell  upon  a  bale. 

1 1  Do  your  worst !  ' '  said  his  superior 
70 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

resignedly.  "  Glad  you  aren't  ashamed  to 
be  seen  working,  anyhow.  It's  the  boss's 
fault,  not  mine !  ' ' 

Sixty  hours  later  Henry  Potter  picked 
up  his  collar,  tie  and  jacket  and  fled  for  a 
bath  house.  Then  he  went  to  bed  and 
slept  twenty  hours.  When  he  reported  to 
Simpson  Saturday  noon  he  was  offered  a 
cigar. 

"  Your  salary  is  raised  to  one  hundred 
gold  a  month, ' '  said  his  employer.  ' 1  Your 
commissions  already  amount  to  $500  gold. 
—  You'll  stay!" 

"I'll  stay,"  said  Henry. 

That  night  in  Sit  Que's  he  tossed  a  third 
knotted  handkerchief  into  Marcelle's  lap. 
She  shook  her  head. 

' '  Interest  on  the  loan  your  friend  made 
me,"  Henry  explained. 

"I'm  sure  she  wouldn't  take  it,"  was  the 
demur. 

"  Take  it  yourself,  then,"  was  the  ob- 
stinate remark. 

n 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

Marcelle  glanced  down  with  a  faint  color 
on  her  thin  cheeks. 

Henry  observed  it  and  reached  for  the 
handkerchief.  "  No  insult  intended.  Feel 
better  about  me?  " 

*  '  Yon  look  fine  —  splendid.  '  ' 

"  Think  you  might  fall  in  love  with  me 
now?  " 

She  tossed  her  head. 

"  It  would  be  good  for  you,"  he  said 
calmly.  "  Steady  you  and  all  that.  The 
very  thought  of  it  makes  you  pretty!  " 

Her  lips  quivered  childishly.  He  smiled. 
"  Cheer  up!  I'll  see  you  next  month." 

Six  months  and  one  week  after  he  had 
quit  Sam-shew-sing's  Henry  stood  once 
more  in  his  employer's  office. 

"  You've  a  thousand  dollars  due  you," 
said  Mr.  Simpson.  "  You  have  proved  a 
very  valuable  man,  Mr.  Potter.  I  am  — 
er  —  exceedingly  gratified.  I'm  sorry  to 
lose  you." 

I  must  get  to  Yokohama,   sir.    I'm 


" 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

obliged  to  you  for  what  you  have  done  for 
me." 

"  Any  letters  —  any  little  assistance  — " 
Simpson  muttered  nervously. 

"  Thank  you.  Just  one  letter,  please. 
A  general  statement  of  my  conduct  during 
the  past  six  months." 

' '  With  pleasure.  And  in  Yokohama  — 
I  have  connections  there,  as  you  know  — 
it  would  gratify  me — " 

"  I  am  going  to  open  an  agency  there," 
said  Henry.  "  I  think  there  is  an  excel- 
lent field  for  the  introduction  of  American 
vehicles  and  smaller  iron  manufactures." 

Mr.  Simpson  became  grave.  "  I  have 
an  excellent  acquaintance  there  who  may 
be  of  help,"  he  said,  "  but — " 

"  No  financial  recommendations,"  Henry 
interposed.  "  I'm  going  on  my  own  that 
way." 

"  Eh  —  yes,  certainly,"  was  the  re- 
sponse given  in  much  relief. 

With  a  draft  for  fourteen  hundred  dol- 
73 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

lars  in  his  wallet,  together  with  a  florid 
letter  from  the  Simpson  Exporting  Com- 
pany, Henry  stepped  out  into  the  street 
and  made  his  way  one-quarter  of  a  mile 
to  Metier  Alley.  It  was  a  warm  spring 
afternoon  and  the  odors  of  the  close  lane 
were  in  full  flower.  He  kicked  Sam-shew- 
sing's  door  open  and  nodded  to  that 
drug-sodden  individual.  Marcelle  sat  up 
disheveled  in  her  bunk  and  stared. 

"It's  you!" 

"It's  me,"  said  Henry.  "  Listen  to 
the  words  of  wisdom  and  cheer.  First, 
I've  made  the  first  quarter  of  a  mile  of 
the  ten  thousand,  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
nine  and  a  quarter.  I  am  the  possessor  of 
coin  in  large  amounts  and  a  letter  which 
testifies  that  I  am  a  reputable,  sober  and 
highly  industrious  business  man.  I  am 
now  prepared  to  cover  the  ten  hundred  and 
seventy  miles  between  the  metropolis  on 
the  Great  Eiver  and  Yokohama. ' ' 

Marcelle  brushed  the  hair  from  her  eyes 
74 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

and  smiled  wanly.  "  I  knew  you  would 
make  it,"  she  said  in  a  low  voice. 

"  You  knew  nothing  of  the  sort,  my 
dear,"  quoth  Henry.  "  You  took  a  chance 
on  a  poor  devil  because  —  well,  because 
you're  a  good  sort.  So  here's  the  poor 
devil,  no  longer  poor  and  desirous  of  re- 
turning a  favor  by  asking  another.  Here  ' ' 
—  he  drew  out  a  hundred  dollars  in  gold 
— "  is  the  needful  wherewith  you,  fair 
damsel,  will  proceed  to  buy,  purchase  and 
equip  yourself  with  a  wedding  garment. 
Chop-chop!  Wiki-wikif  Pronto! " 

She  stared  at  him  with  lips  parted. 

"  "Pis  in  earnest  the  fond  swain  speaks," 
he  assured  her.  "  Out  of  your  slothful 
couch  and  to  the  bazaars  for  pretties!  " 

Her  piercing  tones  reached  even  the 
drowsy  ear  of  Sam-shew-sing.  "  Oh,  you 
fool!  You/ooZ/" 

Henry's  eyes  narrowed.  "  What  do 
you  mean?  " 

She  flung  herself  out  of  the  bunk  and 
75 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

faced  him  with  flashing  eyes.  "  Fool!  I 
thought  I'd  made  a  man  out  of  you!  And 
you'd  marry  me!  "  She  laughed  hyster- 
ically. "  Marry  me!  an  opium  smoker!  a 
cafe  singer !  You  fool!  '• 

1 '  Of  course  I  'd  marry  you  —  shall  marry 
you,"  Henry  Potter  said  firmly.  "  I've 
expected  to,  all  along.  You  saved  me.  I 
think  you  like  me.  Therefore,  I  marry 
you  and  take  you  out  of  this  smoky  hell 
and  share  my  respectability  with  you  — 
the  respectability  you've  handed  me." 

She  put  a  hand  on  each  of  his  shoulders 
and  peered  into  his  face.  She  sighed. 
11  You'd  do  it!  Yes,  you'd  do  it!  " 

She  crept  into  the  vile  bunk  again,  sob- 
bing. Henry  tried  to  rouse  her,  to  extract 
a  single  word  of  assent.  All  in  vain.  At 
last  he  thrust  the  spurned  money  under  the 
pillow  and  bent  over  her. 

"  I'll  be  back  at  seven  o'clock  this  even- 
ing. You  will  be  dressed  and  we  '11  go  and 
76 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

get  married.  A  steamer  sails  for  Yoko- 
hama to-morrow  morning  at  eight." 

She  made  no  response.  When  he  was 
once  more  in  the  stifling  alley  he  could  still 
hear  her  sobs. 

It  was  dark  when  he  returned  to  Sam- 
shew-sing's.  The  door  was  open  and  he 
saw  the  proprietor  eating  rice  by  the  light 
of  a  dim  candle.  He  entered  and  called, 
"Marcelle!" 

She  did  not  answer.  The  Chinese 
nodded  his  head  wisely.  "  She  ketchem 
new  dless.  B'long  too  muchee  hop." 

With  a  swift  step  Henry  crossed  the 
earthen  floor  to  the  bunk.  It  was  deep  in 
the  shadow  and  he  snatched  up  the  candle 
and  held  it  so  that  the  slender  beam  fell 
on  Marcelle. 

She  lay  immobile  and  silent.    By  her 

head,  on  the  pillow,  was  a  modest  hat. 

His  quick  eyes  saw  that  she  was  freshly 

clad  from  head  to  foot.    She  was  abso- 

77 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

lutely  motionless,  pallid  cheeked,  grey 
lipped,  with  her  slim  fingers  across  her 
breast.  He  slowly  bent  nearer,  nearer, 
nearer.  .  .  .  The  hot  grease  from  the  can- 
dle dripped  down  on  the  flowered  bodice. 
,  .  .  Marcelle  did  not  move.  .  .  .  She  was 
dead. 

Henry  stared  long  at  the  serene  face. 
It  held  a  beauty  he  had  never  noticed,  a 
delicacy  that  made  him  choke. 

In  her  right  hand  was  a  piece  of  paper. 
He  gently  disengaged  it.  By  the  light  of 
the  candle  he  saw  that  it  was  the  schedule 
of  distances  he  had  set  down  —  so  long 
ago! 

Sam-shew-sing's  to  Simpson's,  %  mile. 

Marcelle  had  crossed  out  that  first  line 
and  set  a  date  opposite  it.  "  To-day!  " 
he  said  to  himself. 

At  the  bottom  she  had  written  in  firm 
letters,  Ton  made  the  quarter  of  a  mile 
for  my  sake.  That's  all  you  can  do  for 
78 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

me.  I'll  remember  it  in  my  long  dream. 
Good-by. 

Henry  Potter  slipped  the  paper  into  his 
wallet  and  stooped  and  kissed  the  pallid 
lips.  "  Good-by,  friend  I  "  he  whispered. 
"  I'll  remember,  tool  " 

Later  he  slipped  a  hundred  dollars  into 
the  hand  of  the  portly  Sit  Que. 

"  Missy  Marcelle  b'long  my  velly  good 
Sen',"  he  explained  slowly.  "  She  dead 
Sam-shew-sing's  place.  Bimeby  you  ketch- 
em  bury,  all  same  white  lady." 

Sit  Que  nodded  impassively  and  picked 
up  his  ink  brush.  A  few  strokes  and  he 
handed  the  result  as  a  receipt  to  Potter. 

"  I  sabe,"  he  remarked.  "  She  b'long 
your  flen'.  Allight!  I  ketchem.  Maskee 
money  —  all  same  white  lady.  I  bury! 
Allight!  Goo '-by!  " 

"  It  is  ten  hundred  and  seventy  miles  to 
Yokohama,"  Henry  muttered  to  himself. 


79 


m 

SECOND  STAGE 


THE  first  man  Henry  met  when  he 
landed  in  the  Japanese  city  was  an 
American  in  the  Consular  service.  He 
nodded  curtly  to  Potter  and  was  passing 
on  when  a  thought  seemed  to  strike  him. 

"  By  the  way,  Potter,"  he  said  briefly, 
"  your  name  was  dropped  at  the  Club. — 
Just  mentioned  it  —  might  save  embarrass- 
ment." 

Henry  met  his  glance  calmly.  "  Much 
obliged,  Howard." 

The  other  seemed  slightly  abashed.  He 
looked  at  the  clean,  healthy  face  and  the 
clear  eyes  a  second  time.  "  I  didn't  mean 
to  be  nasty  about  it,"  he  proceeded,  a 
trifle  more  cordially. 

* '  No  offense.  I  made  an  owl  of  myself 
here.  Nobody  knows  that  better  than  I 
do.  I'm  back  here  on  business." 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

Howard  hastily  said  farewell  and  de- 
parted. "  He  thought  I'd  want  to  borrow 
from  him,"  Henry  said  to  himself,  flush- 
ing. "  I  seem  to  remember  loaning  him 
some  money.  I  must  have  made  an  awful 
ass  of  myself  if  he  thinks  it's  up  to  him  to 
turn  me  down.  Well,  it's  part  of  the 
long  road." 

He  hesitated  some  time  before  ordering 
a  'rickshaw  to  take  him  to  the  same  hotel 
where  he  had  stopped  before.  His  im- 
pulse was  to  go  some  place  where  he  was 
not  known.  But  he  put  this  aside  as  cow- 
ardly. He  set  his  teeth  and  said  the  name. 

WTiile  he  was  registering  the  clerk 
looked  at  him  coldly.  He  seemed  to  be 
struggling  with  astonishment. 

"  I  should  like  a  room  at  your  monthly 
rate,"  said  Henry. 

"  I'm  sorry,  Mr.  Potter,  but  you  pos- 
sibly remember  a  small  account  you  left 
unsettled  here?  We  have  tried  to  collect 
84 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

several  times  and  failed.  Also  a  notifica- 
tion to  your  New  York  address  stated  that 
you  were  no  longer  entitled  to  draw  on 
your  people.  They  repudiated  the  ac- 
count, sir." 

"  I  remember  very  little  about  it,"  said 
Henry  quietly.  "  I  do  remember  getting 
some  sort  of  a  letter  from  you  in  Shanghai, 
but  what  it  was  all  about  I  don't  know. — 
How  much  do  I  owe  you?  " 

Appeared  a  proprietor  whose  initial 
rudeness  was  softened  by  Henry's  prompt 
settlement  and  excuses.  But  he  was  suffi- 
ciently callous  to  insist  on  payment  in  ad- 
vance thenceforth. 

"With  great  difficulty  Henry  kept  his 
temper.  It  was  new  to  his  experience  to 
suffer  indignities  such  as  these.  During 
the  last  months  with  Simpson  he  had  par- 
tially forgotten  the  lessons  of  Metter  Alley. 
However,  it  was  part  of  his  scheme  to 
rehabilitate  himself  everywhere  he  had 
85 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

been  known  formerly  as  a  reckless  and 
dissolute  youth.  So  he  swallowed  the  ho- 
tel clerk's  ill-concealed  contempt. 

Within  a  week  he  had  established  him- 
self under  the  title  of  Commercial  Agent 
and  set  about  trying  to  sell  vehicles  and 
materials  manufactured  by  his  father's  va- 
rious companies.  In  this  he  was  aided 
by  what  he  recalled  of  the  details  of  the 
offices  he  had  worked  in  and  a  mass  of 
lists,  catalogues  and  so  on  which  he  found 
among  some  luggage  he  had  left  in  storage. 
By  shrewd  inquiries  he  acquainted  himself 
with  the  general  run  of  his  line  of  business 
in  Yokohama  and  corrected  his  lists  ac- 
cordingly. Meanwhile  he  cabled  to  San 
Francisco,  trusting  that  the  manager  there 
would  send  on  his  quotations  and  office  sup- 
plies first  and  make  inquiries  afterwards. 

He  soon  found  his  equipment  for  com- 
petition with  shrewd  Germans  and  earnest 
Englishmen  was  pitiably  threadbare.  He 
devoted  himself  all  the  more  sedulously 
86 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

to  study  and  finally,  when  his  little  hoard 
was  almost  exhausted,  made  a  large  sale 
on  what  he  considered  advantageous 
terms.  He  closed  the  deal,  cabled  the  or- 
der and  started  out  after  new  prospects. 

Gradually  it  dawned  on  him  that  his  ill- 
success  was  due  largely  to  an  invisible, 
intangible  something  which  caused  his 
very  quotations  to  be  taken  carelessly. 
His  eyes  were  opened  when  a  Japanese 
with  whom  he  had  been  talking  prices  and 
grades  for  a  week  suddenly  ignored  all  his 
quotations  and  gave  the  order  to  another 
firm  at  a  large  advance  in  price.  He 
thought  the  affair  over  twenty-four  hours 
and  then  went  to  the  importer. 

"  I  wish  you  would  speak  frankly  to 
me,"  he  said.  "  You  could  have  saved 
four  thousand  dollars  by  placing  your  or- 
der with  my  house.  You  evidently  con- 
sider me  unreliable.  Why?  " 

The  Japanese  was  suave.  "  Not  at  all, 
sir.  In  my  dealings  I  merely  consult  rec- 
87 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

ognized  commercial  rules.  You  have  no 
rating  in  Yokohama.  You  have  no  refer- 
ences at  all." 

Henry  considered  this  a  moment  and 
then  —  smiled. 

With  his  next  customer  (in  prospect) 
he  was  very  blunt.  "I'm  in  wrong  on 
account  of  some  serious  foolishness,"  he 
told  that  keen-eyed  man.  "I'm  trying  to 
get  back  into  business.  I  can  save  you 
money  and  you'll  find  the  goods  all  right. 
I've  learned  that  they  say  in  this  city  that 
I  can't  deliver  on  the  contracts  I  make. 
Here  is  a  letter  from  a  gentleman  for 
whom  I  have  been  working.  It  is  in  no 
sense  a  financial  guarantee.  Bead  it." 
He  offered  Simpson's  letter. 

"I'm  glad  you  spoke  this  way,"  was  the 
reply.  "  You  have  a  bad  reputation,  Mr. 
Potter.  In  the  business  world  such  affairs 
are  not  easily  forgotten,  such  as  your  re- 
pudiation by  your  father's  companies. 
But  that  was  several  years  ago.  I  hear  the 
88 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

best  reports  of  you  now.  I  know  Mr. 
Simpson  for  a  careful  man.  I'll  consider 
the  matter.  Maybe  we  can  risk  a  little, 
though  I  wish  you  to  understand  that  in 
placing  an  order  through  you  we  consider 
the  risk." 

Henry  got  his  order  and  cabled  it.  He 
was  left  with  less  than  a  hundred  dollars 
between  him  and  starvation.  The  San 
Francisco  office  had  duly  sent  him  supplies, 
but  from  New  York  and  his  orders  he  had 
heard  not  a  word.  He  reckoned  that  the 
next  mail  steamer  must  bring  either  notice 
of  the  shipping  of  his  first  order  or  a  re- 
pudiation of  his  authority  which  would 
mean  beginning  all  over  again  in  some 
other  way. 

When  the  letter  finally  arrived  he  opened 
it  with  misgivings.  It  was  a  formal  ac- 
knowledgment of  his  cable  and  the  con- 
firmatory letter,  and  a  statement  that  the 
consignment  had  been  duly  shipped  as  per 
terms  he  had  arranged.  There  were  a  few 
89 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

words  at  the  bottom,  signed  by  his  father's 
general  manager. 

"  Dear  Sir: 

1 '  I  have  risked  this  shipment  on  my  own 
responsibility." 

Henry  drew  a  long  breath.  He  was  safe. 
With  two  big  sales,  satisfactory  to  both 
parties,  he  knew  that  the  rest  was  merely 
a  matter  of  endurance  and  energy. 

The  incident,  however,  taught  him  a  les- 
son :  he  realized  the  almost  universal  will- 
ingness of  humanity  to  give  a  man  another 
chance.  Simpson  had  shown  it,  the  un- 
known manager  of  the  San  Francisco 
branch  had  shown  it,  his  father's  utterly 
businesslike,  brusque  and  busy  lieutenant 
had  shown  it.  It  made  him  understand 
how  sorely  he  had  tried  the  patience  of 
everybody  when  he  was  finally  left  to 
starve,  or  die  in  the  gutter. 

One  year  later  Henry  welcomed  an  el- 
derly, experienced  branch  manager  who 
90 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

stated  that  the  company  had  decided,  in 
view  of  the  young  Commercial  Agent's  suc- 
cess, to  establish  a  Japanese  office.  The 
newcomer  seemed  greatly  surprised  at  the 
business  which  hummed  through  the  one 
room  Henry  occupied. 

"  I  shan't  accept  a  position  with  the 
company,"  Henry  informed  him,  when  it 
was  suggested  that  he  might  do  well  to 
take  a  place  with  the  new  agency.  "I'm 
on  my  own,  now.  I'll  take  a  few  days  to 
show  you  about  and  introduce  you.  Then 
I  go  to  Honolulu. " 

The  new  manager  looked  at  him  quizzi- 
cally. "  This  country  has  agreed  with 
you,  Mr.  Potter." 

"  Excellently,  but  I  must  move  on." 

11  To  Honolulu?  " 

"  To  Honolulu." 

The  manager  rubbed  his  neatly  shaven 
chin.  * 1 1  believe  it  would  do  no  harm  for 
you  to  go  on  to  New  York,"  he  suggested. 

Henry  smiled.  "It's  exactly  nine  thou- 
91 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

sand  and  fifty-nine  miles  to  New  York 
City  from  here." 

"Quite  a  distance!"  murmured  the 
manager,  doubtful  of  the  meaning  of  this 
apparently  irrelevant  statement. 

' '  Quite !  and  first  I  must  make  the  three 
thousand  three  hundred  and  ninety-four  to 
Honolulu. ' ' 

"  Dear,  dear,  these  figures!  "  ejaculated 
his  auditor,  more  puzzled  than  ever. 

"  We  have  an  agency  in  Honolulu, 
haven't  we?  " 

1  i  A  kind  of  one  —  a  kind  of  one ;  very 
small. ' ' 

"  I  feel  impelled  to  see  whether  it  can't 
be  worked  up  into  a  better  one,"  said 
Henry. 

1 '  Excellent !  I  see,  now,  what  you 
meant.  You  intend  to  master  all  the  de- 
tails from  the  Pacific  to  the  Atlantic.  Ex- 
cellent, Mr.  Potter!  That  will  greatly 
gratify  your  fa  —  the  firm.  Allow  me  to 
summarize  a  few  things  about  Hawaii  and 
92 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

its  market."  He  drew  Henry  aside  for 
an  hour. 

"  By  the  way,"  Henry  said  before  he 
took  final  leave,  * '  I  suppose  you  have  gone 
over  all  the  books  and  reports?  " 

"  I  have.  Everything  is  in  perfect 
shape,  Mr.  Potter." 

"  A  letter  to  that  effect?  Would  it  be 
asking  too  much?  " 

"  Of  course  I  shall  report  to  the  home 
office,"  was  the  smiling  reply. 

"I'd  like  a  letter  of  my  own,"  Henry 
said  firmly. 

"Certainly,  certainly  —  anything  to 
oblige,  but  I  fail  to  see  the  necessity — " 

"  It  is  three  thousand  three  hundred  and 
ninety-four  miles  to  Honolulu,"  was  the 
extraordinary  reply. 

Two  days  later,  with  the  manager's  let- 
ter tucked  in  beside  Simpson's  and  five 
thousand  dollars  in  his  pocket,  Henry  Pot- 
ter boarded  the  s.s.  Siberia. 


93 


IV 
THIRD  STAGE 


ONCE  more  Henry  Potter  leaned 
across  the  desk  of  the  accountant 
in  Bishop's  Bank  in  Honolulu  with  a  pen 
in  his  hand. 

"I'm  not  very  flush  of  money,"  he  re- 
marked, "  but  what  little  I  have  I  wish 
to  deposit  with  you  as  a  business  ac- 
count." 

The  accountant  looked  at  the  amount 
written  on  the  slip.  "  What  business, 
may  I  ask,  Mr.  Potter?  " 

"  General  agency,"  said  Henry.  "  I 
shall  sell,  among  other  things,  the  products 
of  the  Potter  Corporation,  of  which  I  am 
a  representative." 

"  I  am  afraid — " 

"  I  know  exactly  what  you  are  going  to 
say,"  interposed  Henry.  "  I  wish  no  ac- 
commodation at  all  —  simply  to  be  able  to 
97 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

draw  my  check  on  whatever  balance  I  may 
have  and  direct  that  the  drafts  be  handled 
through  you  for  collection." 

"  We  shall  be  glad  to  do  that,"  was  the 
reply. 

Again  Henry  sought  out  a  dirty  and  un- 
couth man  in  the  precincts  of  Kapiolani 
Park.  Dirt  grasped  the  hand  of  cleanli- 
ness. 

"  My  long-lost  brother!  "  ejaculated  the 
tramp.  "  The  fertile  isle  of  Oahu  has  been 
a  desert  since  you  left." 

11  You  are  now  bound  on  an  expedition 
across  the  desert  that  is  traversed  solely 
by  the  water-wagon,"  said  Henry.  "  On 
my  last  trip  with  your  aid  I  examined 
Honolulu  on  the  inside,  outside  and  by  the 
wayside." 

His  auditor  licked  his  lips  fondly. 

"  We  saw  several  things,"  Henry  con- 
tinued.   "  We  missed  some  of  the  most 
important." 
"/can—" 

98 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"  Precisely.  It  happens  that  in  the 
accumulation  of  much  worthless  though 
costly  knowledge  you  have  gained  an  ac- 
quaintance with  the  flora,  fauna  and  min- 
eral wealth  of  this  archipelago.  We  will 
examine  these  matters  together." 

"  Let's  have  a  drink  on  it." 

"  Instead  I  propose  that  you  bathe, 
shave,  purchase  clean  clothes  and  then  dis- 
cuss with  me  the  easiest  way  of  ascertain- 
ing what  wealth  lies  hid  beneath  the  garden 
soil  of  Hawaii.  Do  you  get  me?  " 

"  I  once  boasted  myself  a  mining  en- 
gineer," replied  the  other.  "  Where,  if  I 
may  be  impertinent,  is  the  dauntless  sport 
of  yester-year  with  whom  I  trod  the  mazy 
dance  which  knows  not  professions  nor  the 
tree  of  useful  knowledge?  " 

"  His  address  is  Metter  Alley,  Shang- 
hai." 

"  And  his  gold  —  his  glittering  gold?  " 

"  I'll  pay  all  expenses,  a  reasonable  sal- 
ary and  something  to  remember  me  by." 
99 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

The  bargain  was  struck  and  Henry  Pot- 
ter, after  a  week  in  the  office  of  the  agent, 
during  which  he  delved  deeply  into  terri- 
torial reports,  set  forth  with  his  compan- 
ion and  was  lost  to  view  for  two  months. 
At  the  end  of  that  period  he  returned  to 
Honolulu  laden  with  notebooks,  blue-prints 
and  health.  He  brought  with  him  a 
brawny  and  enthusiastic  man  who  had 
been  known  for  several  years  as  a  loafer 
and  a  drunkard  but  now  astonished  his  ac- 
quaintances by  sober  devotion  to  some  busi- 
ness about  which  he  gave  no  information. 

To  him  Henry  gave  many  gold  coins. 
"  You  are  a  first-class  engineer,"  he  added. 

"  I  was  an  engineer  once,"  said  the 
other.  "  Then  I  thought  I  was  an  acros- 
tic and  commenced  dropping  syllables  till 
my  last  was  plain  gin.  I  'm  much  obliged. ' ' 

"  A  job?" 

"  That's  what  I'm  after,  wiki-wiki." 

"  A  hundred  a  month  with  me,  then," 
quoth  Henry. 

100 


"  Much  obliged,"  the  engineer  grinned. 

"  Thank  a  lady  called  Marcelle." 

Another  month  was  spent  by  Henry  dig- 
ging out  statistics  in  the  Palace,  going  over 
points  of  law  and  accumulating  general  in- 
formation. When  he  was  done  he  inter- 
viewed three  men  of  means.  To  the  last 
one  he  said,  * '  You  agree  with  me  that  the 
development  of  this  property  will  be  ex- 
tremely profitable?  " 

11  Certainly  —  but  at  an  enormous  in- 
itial expense.  Your  figures — " 

"  You  think  they  are  within  reason?  " 

"  I  do.  But  it  will  take  millions,  Mr. 
Potter,  and  millions — " 

"  You  and  your  associates,  if  you  will 
take  this  up,  can  easily  induce  capital  to 
invest  with  you." 

"But—" 

Henry  picked  up  his  papers  and  rose, 

smiling.    "  I  filed  on  the  central  property 

and  I  have  a  first-class  man,  an  engineer, 

planning  the  development  work.    I'm  not 

101 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

a  wealthy  man.  But  I  will  make  the  prop- 
osition to  yon :  Give  me  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars for  the  work  I've  done  and  my  interest. 
You  can  go  ahead  and  organize  your  com- 
pany and  have  a  free  field.  I'll  ask  for 
one  thousand  dollars  down,  for  the  assign- 
ment of  my  rights,  and  nine  thousand  one 
year  from  now  if  you  make  the  thing  go. 
Otherwise  I  keep  the  thousand  and  you  re- 
turn me  my  rights." 

Three  days  later  Henry  cashed  a  check 
for  one  thousand,  drew  out  his  own  bal- 
ance, bade  the  accountant  good-by  and 
walked  out  into  Queen  street,  patting  his 
breast  pocket  which  now  held,  besides 
drafts  and  cash,  sundry  letters  certifying 
to  his  reliability,  experience  and  integrity, 
signed  by  Honoluluans  of  respectable  po- 
sition. 

A  thought  struck  him.  He  opened  his 
wallet  and  extracted  a  ragged  piece  of  rice 
paper  which  was  brushed  with  a  list  of 
102 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

distances.  He  ran  his  pen  through  the 
fourth  line.  "  It  is  just  two  thousand  and 
ninety-one  miles  to  San  Francisco,"  he 
said  aloud. 


103 


V 
FOURTH  STAGE 


SAN  FRANCISCO'S  chill  winds  re- 
minded him  that  life  was  becoming 
very  earnest.  He  dreaded  meeting  all  the 
people  he  had  known  in  the  California  city 
and  thought  with  constant  qualms  of  the 
difficulty  he  would  have  in  retrieving  his 
former  errors. 

It  was  early  morning  when  the  steamer 
docked  and  he  sent  his  baggage  directly 
from  the  customs  sheds  to  a  hotel  while 
he  took  a  car  to  the  Potter  offices  on  Market 
street. 

"  This  is  the  first  pill,"  he  thought 
sheepishly.  "  I  return  silent  as  the  foot 
of  time  about  my  previous  career  and  try 
to  make  them  think  I  had  no  thought  ex- 
cept for  business  when  I  departed  between 
two  days  and  left  the  managership  to  hang 
on  a  nail  until  somebody  came  along  and 
107. 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

picked  it  off.    Well,  they  can  do  no  more 
than  look  suspiciously  at  me." 

But  he  found  that  several  warm  letters 
from  his  successor  in  Yokohama  had  paved 
the  way.  The  present  manager  received 
him  politely,  unobtrusively  took  stock  of 
his  firm,  brown  face  and  clear  eyes  and 
ended  by  remarking, "  I  presume  you're  on 
your  way  to  New  York?  " 

"  I  am  not,"  said  Henry.  "  I  am  here 
to  ask  whether  you  have  an  outside  job 
for  me." 

"  Without  instructions  from  the  home 
office  —  really  — " 

"  I  understand,"  Henry  put  in 
promptly.  "  Your  salary  list  is  full  up. 
Give  me  a  chance  on  commission.  I've  a 
few  prospects  up  my  sleeve." 

"  But  the  other  men — " 

Henry's  eyes  grew  a  trifle  sharper.  "  If 
they  can't  hold  their  own,  hadn't  you  bet- 
ter stir  'em  up?  ' 

108 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

The  manager  recognized  the  voice  of  a 
Potter. 

"  Go  ahead  and  see  your  prospects,"  he 
said. 

For  two  months  Potter  devoted  himself 
to  business  so  exclusively  that  no  one  saw 
him  except  the  men  he  dealt  with.  He  got 
orders  and  proved  his  knowledge  of  the 
selling  end  of  the  business,  but  he  kept 
steadily  in  mind  his  chief  aim,  which  was 
to  establish  a  connection  of  his  own  and 
wipe  out  forever  the  reputation  which 
still  clung  to  him. 

On  every  hand  he  found  himself  remem- 
bered. Some  laughed  and  slapped  him  on 
the  back  when  he  mentioned  business. 
Others  listened  coldly  and  referred  him 
to  their  subordinates,  but  gradually  he 
gained  a  couple  of  firm  allies  who  per- 
ceived that  the  "  sport  "  of  old  was  be- 
come an  earnest,  sober  and  exceedingly 
clever  worker. 

109 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

He  avoided  meeting  his  former  boon 
companions  and  refused  all  invitations  to 
dinners,  suppers  and  club  affairs  except 
when  he  knew  that  he  was  received  on  his 
present  merits.  He  lived  simply  in  an  up- 
town hotel  and  spent  his  spare  time  over 
law-books  and  government  reports.  Oc- 
casionally he  mailed  a  result  of  his  investi- 
gations to  his  father's  general  manager, 
but  with  Thomas  himself  he  neither  sought 
nor  had  any  communication. 

Yet  in  the  very  midst  of  his  industry  he 
knew  that  he  was  evading  his  heaviest 
duty.  His  conscience  grew  more  and  more 
troublesome.  His  inward  misery  gained 
keenness  as  the  months  went  on  and  he 
did  not  meet  the  girl  whom  he  had  left  in 
tears  in  a  delicately  furnished  music  room 
in  a  costly  house  on  Jackson  street.  She 
was  still  unmarried  and  gossip  spoke 
of  her  as  devoted  to  charity  and  the 
church. 

Time  and  again  he  dressed  himself  care- 
110 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

fully  for  the  evening.  Time  and  again  lie 
could  not  force  himself  to  leave  his  room 
and  face  Edith  Cellenery.  "It's  the 
whole  blamed  two  thousand  and  ninety-one 
miles, ' '  he  remarked  to  himself.  * '  All  in 
a  heap!  " 

Once  or  twice  he  resolved  simply  to  let 
the  whole  affair  slip.  Maybe  she  had  for- 
gotten it!  But  he  realized  that  his  self- 
respect  demanded  this  poor  reparation  for 
an  act  of  scoundrelism. 

So,  at  eight  o'clock  one  night,  he  rang 
the  bell  of  the  Jackson  street  house  and 
gave  his  card  to  the  maid. 

"  Miss  Cellenery  is  in  the  music  room," 
was  her  direction.  "  She  is  at  home  this 
evening. ' ' 

He  dropped  hat  and  coat  and  proceeded 
the  familiar  way  to  the  room  he  knew  so 
well.  The  door  was  open  and  he  stepped 
in.  Edith  sat  by  the  piano  turning  over 
some  loose  sheets  of  music.  She  looked 
up  with  a  smile  which  faded  when  she  saw 
111 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

who  it  was.  She  rose  and  faced  him  gal- 
lantly, every  curve  of  her  face  expressing 
pride. 

"  I  have  come  back,"  he  said  quickly 
and  stopped.  He  could  think  of  no  more 
to  say. 

She  bowed  slightly.  She  did  not  offer 
to  sit  nor  offer  him  a  seat. 

Henry  flushed.  "  I  have  only  one  claim 
on  your  patience,"  he  continued.  "  I 
have  come  to  tell  you  where  I  went  when 
I  left  San  Francisco  —  and  you." 

She  had  recovered  herself.  ' (  To  Hono- 
lulu? wasn't  it?  There  were  so  many 
tales  about  I  paid  little  attention  to  which 
was  the  true  one." 

"  You  were  quite  right.  It  was  natural 
you  should  despise  me.  I  have  learned  to 
be  very  blunt  in  the  last  couple  of  years, 
Edith.  May  I  speak  frankly  to  you,  for 
the  last  time?  ' 

"  For  the  first  time?  "  she  suggested. 

But  something  in  his  attitude  made  her 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

raise  her  eyes  to  his.  He  saw  that  they 
were  a  heavenly  blue,  and  it  thrilled  him. 
With  some  difficulty  he  kept  his  mind  on 
his  errand. 

' '  The  last  time  I  was  here  I  had  —  well, 
I  had  no  business  in  a  respectable  house, 
much  less  in  the  home  of  the  lady  whom  I 
was  engaged  to.  I  played  the  scoundrel 
and  the  cur  and  gave  you  to  understand 
that  I  was  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  break 
with  you.  As  a  matter  of  fact  I  should 
have  been  glad  of  even  your  slightest 
friendship,  for  I  was  completely  unworthy 
of  even  that.  I  am  unworthy  now,  but  I 
am  at  least  respectable.  I'm  sober  — 
which  sounds  horribly  vulgar  —  and  I 
have  been  for  a  long  time  (which  is  barely 
interesting),  and  I  make  my  own  living  — 
which  is  what  something  like  a  hundred 
thousand  better  men  do  in  this  city  every 
day." 

"  You  have  changed,"  she  murmured, 
blushing  slightly. 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"  Now,  Edith,  this  is  the  hardest  honr 
I  shall  ever  have  to  put  in  in  my  life. 
Please  help  me.  I've  been  trying  for  two 
months  —  ever  since  I  returned  to  San 
Francisco  —  to  come  here  and  see  you. 
Please  help  me  —  just  this  once. " 

"  I  still  don't  see  why  you  are  here  — 
speaking  this  way,"  she  answered  quietly. 
"  Won't  you  sit  down?  " 

"  Thank  you." 

He  was  silent,  his  brow  wrinkled  into  a 
frown.  "  I  really  am  at  a  loss  to  explain 
things,"  he  began.  "  It  is  a  matter  of  my 
*  going  back,'  as  I  call  it.  I  think  the  best 
way  is  to  tell  you  the  truth,  just  as  it  was, 
though  it  does  sound  sentimental." 

"  Please  spare  me  anything  like  that," 
she  said  coldly.  He  saw  the  faint  color 
rise  in  her  cheeks. 

"I  brought  this  along,"  he  proceeded, 
pulling  out  a  piece  of  paper  and  handing  it 
to  her.    "  Take  it!    It's  not  inflammable 
—  merely  some  figures.    Bead  'em." 
114? 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

She  seemed  provoked  but  kept  her  eyes 
on  the  paper.  "I  see  it's  a  set  of  dis- 
tances." 

"  If  you  don't  read  them  you'll  never 
understand!  "  he  burst  out.  "  Please!  " 

"  '  From  Sam-shew-sing's  to  Simpson's, 
one  quarter  of  a  mile/ "  she  repeated 
quietly.  "  '  From  Shanghai  to  Yokohama 
— '  — what  on  earth  has  this  to  do  with 
anything  I  must  listen  to?  " 

Henry  got  to  his  feet,  crimson-faced. 
"  All  right,  Edith.  You  are  entitled  to 
make  it  as  hard  as  possible.  Listen: 
those  distances  mark  the  various  steps  in 
my  —  my  degradation.  I  ended  at  last  in 
an  opium  joint  in  Shanghai.  There  some- 
body woke  me  up.  I  started  back.  I've 
been  two  years  and  over  getting  this  far. 
I  made  up  my  mind  that  I  'd  come  back  the 
road  I  went,  only  I'd  come  back  on  my  own 
earnings,  and  sober  and  a  —  a  man,  not  a 
lying,  dissipated  blackguard.  See?  I  — 
I  did  you  a  great  injury.  I  threw  aside 
115 


and  couldn't  understand  the  pure  love  that 
a  woman  as  fine  and  good  as  you  are  of- 
fered a  creature  like  myself.  You  loved 
me  and  I  wouldn't  surrender  a  bit  of  what 
I  called  my  freedom,  nor  be  a  man  even 
for  an  instant  —  even  for  the  great  reward 
of  your  love.  I  was  unspeakable.  But 
I'm  coming  back  and  this  is  my  poor 
atonement  —  to  come  to  you  and  show  you 
that  after  all  I  had  enough  of  the  man  in 
me  to  try  to  make  good.  It  doesn't 
amount  to  much.  I  forfeited  your  affec- 
tion and  your  esteem.  But  I'm  sworn  to 
regain  your  respect." 

She  sat  holding  the  paper  in  her  fingers 
while  he  talked.  She  did  not  raise  her 
eyes  till  he  was  finished.  When  he  met 
her  gaze  he  saw  that  she  was  crying 
silently.  Heavy  tears  rolled  down  her 
cheeks. 

11  Edith!  "  he  whispered,  shocked. 

She  shook  her  head. 
116 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

He  sat  miserably  watching  her  weep. 
She  did  not  sob  nor  move  her  hands  in  her 
lap.  He  felt  the  poignancy  of  that  re- 
strained grief. 

Presently  she  held  out  her  hand  with 
the  paper.  "  I  see  a  message  at  the  bot- 
tom of  it." 

"  It  is  the  writing  of  a  girl  who  loaned 
me  money  to  get  clean  clothes  and  a  fresh 
start,"  he  replied  slowly.  "  She  killed 
herself." 

The  blue  eyes  burned  on  his.  He  bowed 
his  head.  ' '  She  was  a  singer  in  a  cafe.  I 
offered  to  marry  her.  A  good  girl!  She 
called  me  fool,  and  killed  herself." 

Miss  Cellenery  rose,  mistress  of  herself 
once  more.  "I'm  glad  you  have  come 
back  to  San  Francisco,"  she  said,  holding 
out  her  slim  hand.  "  You  were  always  a 
dear  boy,  Harry.  All's  past  now!  Come 
and  see  —  an  old  friend !  ' 

He  squared  his  shoulders  under  her 
117 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

gaze.  She  answered  his  drawn  smile 
lightly.  "  What  an  improvement!  What 
are  you  doing  now?  Manager  again?  " 

"  I  make  about  a  hundred  a  month  com- 
missions," he  returned.  "  I'm  at  the  foot 
of  the  list." 

"  But  your  father?  " 

"  He  disowned  me  long  ago.  It's  a 
good  many  miles  to  him." 

"  I  know  you'll  make  it,"  she  responded 
cordially. 

Out  on  the  street  Henry  drew  a  long 
breath.  "  We'll  count  that  for  a  thousand 
miles,  my  son!  Heavens,  what  a  girl! 
But  you're  down  and  out  there,  and  — 
you've  got  no  right  anyway." 

He  walked  to  his  room,  lips  set  in  a  grim 
line. 

In  the  morning,  six  months  afterward, 
Henry  informed  his  superior  that  he  was, 
going  East  the  next  day. 

"  Sorry  to  lose  you,"  was  the  hearty 
118 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

response.    "  You're  certainly  a  good  hus- 
tler.   I  suppose  it's  New  York  now?  " 

"  Fairfield,  Iowa,"  quoth  Henry. 
"  Two  thousand,  four  hundred  and  seven- 
ty-six miles." 


119 


VI 
FIFTH  STAGE 


THE  maples  displayed  the  gorgeous 
banners  of  autumn  when  Henry  ar- 
rived at  the  Iowa  town.  He  spent  the  first 
day  in  a  long  walk  through  the  oak  and 
hickory  woods,  which  he  had  learned  to 
know  with  Sadie  Price  by  his  side.  He 
felt  that  he  was  near  the  end  of  his  jour- 
ney back,  his  spirit  was  light  and  —  yet! 
He  had  left  Fairfield  suddenly,  without 
giving  any  excuses  except  that  he  was  go- 
ing on  "  business."  True,  he  had  lived 
simply  and  decently  within  its  narrow  con- 
fines, but  he  remorsefully  thought  of  the 
girl  whose  affection  he  had  won  and  whom 
he  had  left  with  a  careless  remark  that 
he  would  soon  return.  That  had  been 
seven  years  ago.  What  had  happened  dur- 
ing those  years? 

He  recalled  three  letters  from   Sadie, 
hastily  read,  put  away  and  lost.    Yet  he 
123 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

had  cherished  her  image  and  many  a  time, 
in  fits  of  repentance  and  despondency,  he 
had  regretted  the  simplicity  and  innocence 
of  his  life  when  he  had  worked  in  the 
wagon  factory.  Was  she  married?  Had 
she  changed?  Had  he  himself  changed? 
Was  he  still  in  love  with  her?  "  That 
doesn't  matter,"  he  said  to  himself 
sternly.  "  What  you  have  to  do  is  to  set 
things  right." 

In  the  morning  he  sought  the  office  and 
found  the  staid  Mr.  Peterby  still  at  the 
manager's  desk.  He  looked  up  and 
nodded.  "  I  heard  you  had  come  to 
town,"  was  his  remark,  shaking  hands 
perfunctorily. 

Henry  leaned  across  the  unpainted 
oaken  counter.  "  How's  business?  ' 

Mr.  Peterby  removed  his  spectacles. 
"  Very  fair,  indeed.  Very  fair.  I  be- 
lieve the  company  is  satisfied." 

"  Good." 

124 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"  You  have  been  abroad?  "  the  manager 
inquired.  "  I  believe  I  heard  something 
about  your  being  in  China?  '! 

"  In  China  I  was." 

"  And  you  are  on  your  way  to  New 
York?  " 

"  Via  Fairfield  and  Pittsburg,"  said 
Henry.  "A  word  in  your  ear:  What's 
the  news?  " 

For  half  an  hour  Mr.  Peterby  recalled 
names  and  identified  them  with  short  his- 
tories. At  last,  when  Henry's  patience 
was  almost  exhausted  the  word  "  Price  '; 
fell  from  the  manager's  lips.  "  Old  man 
Price  died  three  years  ago  last  July.  He 
had  a  pension,  you  know,  and  very  little 
property.  But  Sadie  —  an  excellent 
woman,  Mr.  Potter  —  studied  bookkeep- 
ing and  is  now  working  in  town  and  sup- 
porting her  mother.  Do  you  remember 
Sadie?  " 

"  I  do,"  Henry  admitted,  wincing  at  the 
125 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

tone.    "  Where  is  she  working,  did  you 


"  At  Thome's.  You  must  remember 
Thome's?  " 

Henry's  mind  traveled  back  a  few  years, 
surveyed  the  Fairfield  of  that  era  and 
fixed  on  a  drygoods  store.  He  nodded. 
"  I'll  stay  here  quite  a  while,  possibly," 
he  remarked.  "  I  have  some  business  to 
attend  to." 

He  left  and  walked  from  the  factory  into 
town,  made  the  circuit  of  the  square  and 
entered  the  long  aisle  of  Thome's  store. 
A  couple  of  clerks  looked  at  him  and  set 
him  down  as  new  salesman.  He  arrived 
at  the  little  glass-enclosed  office,  saw  a  fig- 
ure that  he  would  have  recognized  any- 
where, he  realized,  and  boyishly  pressed 
his  nose  against  the  pane. 

Miss  Price,  pen  in  the  air,  gazed  in  stu- 
pefaction at  this  prank  on  the  part  of  a 
stranger,  composed  her  face  into  dignified 
rebuke  and  then  opened  her  eyes  very 
126 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

widely.  The  cream  of  her  cheek  was  rud- 
died by  an  unmistakable  blush.  Henry 
rubbed  his  nose,  opened  the  door  and 
stood  beside  her  stool,  smiling. 

' '  Sadie  Price !  Put  down  that  pen  and 
wipe  your  mouth.  I'm  going  to  kiss 
you!  " 

Miss  Price  slipped  from  her  stool,  hold- 
ing the  pen  like  an  offensive  weapon,  and 
retired  hastily  against  the  iron  safe. 
From  that  vantage  she  faced  him  angrily. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  speaking  that 
way  to  me?  " 

Henry  shook  his  head.  "I'll  tell  you. 
Listen  to  me."  He  turned  his  back  on 
her  and  began  slowly,  "  Chestnut  brown 
hair,  perfect  eyes,  an  adorable  nose, 
though  a  little  large,  red  lips,  a  dimple, 
creamy  white  — " 

He  stopped,  picked  up  the  pen  and  os- 
tentatiously wiped  some  splattered  ink 
from  his  sleeve.  "  I  was  just  going  to 
prove  that  I  could  say  it  all  with  my  eyes 
127 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

shut,"  he  complained,  facing  her.  "  I've 
said  it  over  to  myself  a  thousand — " 

He  saw  that  her  anger  was  almost  too 
much  for  her  self-control.  He  dropped 
his  air  of  gayety  and  said  quietly,  "  Sit 
down,  please." 

She  resumed  her  seat  on  the  stool,  her 
eyes  flashing.  She  bent  over  the  big 
ledger. 

"  Listen!  "  commanded  Henry.  "I've 
come  exactly  eight  thousand  nine  hundred 
and  thirty-one  miles  and  a  quarter  to  tell 
you  something." 

Her  lip  was  quivering  and  he  hastened 
on. 

"  I  left  here  for  a  reason  I  shan't  ex- 
plain to  you  just  now.  No  matter.  I 
went  to  China  before  I  realized  that  I  had 
made  the  big  mistake  of  my  life.  I'm  back 
here  to  cry  for  mercy,  Sadie.  I  swear  — " 

"  What's  the  use  of  bringing  it  all  up 
again?  "  she  whispered. 

"  Use!    I  can't  ever  get  back  to  New 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

York  if  you  don't  let  me  talk  things  over. 
I'm  fixed  right  in  Fairfield  for  life  unless 
you  listen  to  me."  His  tone  was  a  new 
one  and  she  must  perforce  bite  her  lip  and 
let  him  speak. 

"  In  the  first  place,  this  is  Saturday," 
he  proceeded.  "  I  have  discovered  that 
you  have  a  half -holiday  on  Saturdays  and 
I  want  to  take  you  for  a  drive.  I  have 
something  to  tell  you,  Sadie.  Will  you 
come?  " 

' '  I  always  spend  the  afternoon  with  my 
mother,"  she  said  coldly. 

"  You  can  spend  every  Saturday  after- 
noon for  the  next  hundred  years  with  her, 
if  you'll  come  with  me  to-day,"  he  pleaded 
impetuously.  "  Please!" 

"  If  it's  the  only  way  of  getting  rid  of 
you  I  suppose  I  must  suffer,"  she  replied. 

"  I'll  call  for  you  at  two  o'clock,  then, 
at  your  house." 

She  flushed.  "  Not  at  the  house.  I  don't 
want  mother  to  know  I'm  going  with  you. 
129 


She  hates  you.    I'll  meet  you  one  block 
down  Burlington  street. ' ' 

She  allowed  him  not  even  a  nod  of  fare- 
well and  he  left  the  store  with  his  face  set 
in  hard  lines.  "  I  don't  blame  her!  "  he 
mused.  "  I  have  the  gall  of  a  corpora- 
tion lawyer  even  to  ask  her  to  go  driving 
with  me.  But  I  simply  must!  Lord,  what 
a  girl !  And  I  deliberately  quit  her !  ' ' 

At  two  o'clock  he  urged  the  slowest 
horse  he  could  procure  from  the  livery- 
man down  Burlington  street.  On  the  first 
crosswalk  he  found  Sadie  Price,  veiled. 
She  climbed  in  beside  him  without  a  word 
and  he  meekly  drove  on  into  the  country. 
While  he  sedulously  imitated  her  silence 
he  glanced  at  her  frequently. 

The  road  turned  down  between  two 
wooded  slopes  and  the  old  horse  subsided 
into  a  walk.  Then  Henry  spoke.  "  Do 
you  remember  what  I  told  you  of  the  rea- 
son of  my  leaving  Pittsburg  and  coming 
to  Fairneld?  " 

130 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

She  uttered  a  low-toned  "  Yes." 

"  I  was  perfectly  frank  in  telling  you 
that  I  had  wasted  money,  time  and 
strength  in  trying  to  be  a  high-flying 
young  blood?  " 

She  nodded. 

"  My  dear  Sadie,  I  wrote  to  my  father, 
the  millionaire,  and  told  him  I  hoped  to 
make  you  my  wife  and — " 

"  I  never  told  you — " 

"  Exactly.  But  I  thought  you  cared  a 
heap  and  I  knew  I  did,  so  I  broke  it  to  the 
old  man.  He  knew  me  for  about  what  I 
was,  though  he  wouldn't  have  acknowl- 
edged it.  He  gave  me  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars to  leave  Fairfield.  He  took  me  for  a 
blackguard  and  I  proved  to  be  one.  In 
other  words  he  paid  me  to  leave  the  one 
girl  who  was  making  a  man  of  me  and 
whom  I  could  honestly  revere  and  respect 
as  well  as  love.  I  left  in  a  hurry.  I  lied 
to  you.  I  said  I  was  going  on  a  business 
trip  and  would  soon  be  back.  That  busi- 
181 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

ness  trip  ended  in  an  alley  in  Shanghai, 
China,  where  I  pawned  my  sole  remaining 
jewelry  with  an  old  Chink  for  a  lodging, 
something  to  drink  and  rice  out  of  a  dirty 
pot.  That's  what  my  father's  money 
made  out  of  me. 

"  Well,  I  took  stock  and  decided  I'd  do 
something  for  myself.  I  started  back. 
You  wouldn't  understand  just  how  hard 
that  was  nor  how  long  it  took  me.  But 
I  haven't  been  drinking  for  several  years, 
and  I  make  my  own  living.  Not  a  cent  do 
I  get  from  my  father.  More  than  that, 
I've  tried  to  straighten  out  mistakes  I've 
made  and  atone  a  little  for  the  wrongs  I 
did.  But  when  I  left  Fairfield  as  I  did  I 
wronged  myself  most,  for  I  gave  up  my 
manhood.  I  sold  it  for  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars. I  want  it  back.  I  have  sworn  not 
to  go  back  to  New  York  nor  to  see  my 
father  until  I  can  look  him  in  the  eye,  as  a 
man  should." 

The  long  speech  came  to  an  end.  Miss 
132 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

Price  lifted  her  veil  above  her  mouth.  ' '  I 
thought,  of  course,  that  you  were  only 
—  playing,  when  you  paid  me  so  much  at- 
tention." 

"  That  is  a  fib  of  the  blackest,"  quoth 
Henry.  "  You  knew  I  was  in  deadly  ear- 
nest." 

"It  didn't  look  like  it." 

He  groaned.  "  Sadie,  you  haven't  had 
three  years  of  what  I've  had.  I'm  back 
here  to  tell  you  that  I  ivas  in  earnest  and, 
more  than  that,  that  I'm  a  better  man  now 
and  I  want  a  second  chance." 

"  I  can't  see  the  use  of  discussing  it!  *: 

He  stopped  the  horse.  "  Are  you  in 
love  with  anybody  else?  " 

"  I  fail  to  see  what  business  it  is  of 
yours,"  she  said  quietly. 

The  horse,  astounded  by  a  cut  of  the 
whip,  bounded  forward.  When  Henry 
spoke  again  it  was  in  a  very  humble  voice. 
'  *  I  know !  I  blunder  and  blunder !  But 
I  tell  you,  Sadie,  I  worship  the  ground 
133 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

you  walk  on!  If  IVe  forfeited  my  chance 
forever,  be  merciful  and  say  so.  Only,  so 
long  as  there 's  no  one  else  you  care  for  — 
too  much  —  I'm  here,  praying  just  for  a 
chance  —  just  a  chance,  Sadie,  to  win  you 
for  my  wife!  " 

The  horse  covered  a  long  distance  be- 
fore she  spoke.  "  It  is  bitterly  humilia- 
ting to  confess  it,"  she  said  coldly.  "  But 
I  was  in  love  with  you  —  very  deeply. 
You  were  my  heart's  idol.  When  you 
simply  disappeared  and  I  heard  you  were 
in  San  Francisco,  and  you  didn't  answer 
my  three  letters  —  shame  on  me  for  writ- 
ing them!  —  I  thought  my  heart  would 
break.  But  —  I  tried  to  understand  —  to 
feel  that  you  were  only  thoughtless." 

Once  more  the  lash  stung  the  patient  an- 
imal and  Henry's  face  was  scarlet.  "  Go 
on,"  he  said  huskily.  "  It's  all  coming  to 
me  —  I  know  it. ' ' 

"  Then  papa  died,  and  I  had  to  work 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

and  that  —  that  kept  me  occupied.    The 
hardest  thing  was  the  way  mamma  felt." 
"  I  had  spoken  to  her,"  Henry  said  sim- 

piy. 

"  Oh,  it  was  cruel!  "  she  burst  out. 

Henry  pulled  the  horse  in  and  jumped 
out  of  the  buggy.  "  I  see  some  hazel 
bushes  in  there.  Let's  get  some  nuts." 

She  shook  her  head.  He  insisted,  one 
hand  over  hers.  Finally  she  allowed  him 
to  lift  her  out  and  when  he  had  tied  the 
horse  to  a  tree  they  went  under  the  scat- 
tering trees.  Suddenly  he  seemed  struck 
by  a  thought.  She  heard  his  furious  mut- 
ter to  himself,  "  Idiot!  Fool!  " 

He  turned  on  her  swiftly.  She  drew 
back,  shrinkingly. 

"  Will  you  promise  to  answer  just  one 
question,  honestly  and  truly?  Just  one?  " 
he  said  gently. 

11  If  I  can  and  you  will  take  me  right 
home." 

135 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"  Lift  your  veil  so  I  can  see  your  eyes. 
—  That's  better.  Do  you  love  me?  " 

The  abruptness  of  the  question,  the 
great  gentleness  of  the  tone,  stopped  the 
quick  denial  on  her  lips.  She  faced  him 
while  the  color  rose  slowly  and  tinged  her 
cheeks.  She  struggled  to  maintain  her 
composure  under  his  gaze.  But  her  de- 
fenses were  weak  before  the  onset.  She 
surrendered,  however,  with  the  honors  of 
war. 

"  I  do  — but  God  help  me!  " 

He  bent  over  and  kissed  her  hand. 
"  And  you  will  marry  me?  " 

She  stood  among  the  laden  bushes,  sud- 
denly remote  and  mysterious  to  him.  Her 
eyes  seemed  fixed  on  the  distance,  on  some 
invisible  and  absorbing  scene.  He  lis- 
tened for  her  reply,  every  sense  thrice 
acute. 

With  the  swiftness  of  light  her  eyes 
filled,  her  lips  trembled.  He  caught  her  in 
his  arms. 

136 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

It  was  dusk  when  the  old  horse  stopped 
in  front  of  the  little  creeper-enwrapped 
porch  of  the  Price  house.  Henry  leaped 
out  and  lifted  Sadie  down.  "  Now  to- 
gether—  no,  you  stay  here,  dearest!  I'll 
see  your  mother  myself.  I  guess  it's  the 
only  thing  I  can  do!  " 

She  smiled.  "  No.  It's  my  place, 
Harry.  She  will  take  much  convincing. 
I'll  see  her  first." 

"  Then  I  can't  stop  to  supper?  " 

A  startled  exclamation  met  his  ear. 
1  *  Saturday  night !  and  no  marketing  done ! 
I  told  mamma  I  would  do  it !  " 

"Hence,  housewife!  In  and  explain 
while  I  ransack  the  bazaars  of  the  city." 

He  drove  away  cracking  his  whip  boy- 
ishly. The  horse  trotted  sedately  to  its 
stable. 

An   hour   later   Henry   reappeared,    a 
mass  of  bundles  and  packages.    Sadie  met 
him  on  the  porch.    "  My  goodness  alive, 
Harry,  what  have  you  got!  " 
137 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"  Got!  "  he  cried,  enclosing  her  in  the 
midst  of  his  parcels,  "I've  got  supplies 
for  the  future  Mrs.  P.  The  grocer  thinks 
I'm  crazy  and  the  butcher  never  let  go  of 
his  cleaver  from  the  moment  I  entered  his 
shop. ' ' 

"  But  we  never  can  use — •'" 

"  You  forget  I'm  shy  something  like 
one  thousand  and  one  suppers  of  your 
cooking,"  he  retorted.  "I'm  going  to 
make  'em  all  up  to-night." 

Later  he  stood  facing  the  gray-haired 
Mrs.  Price.  "  Eich!  Dear  lady,  I'm 
poor.  I  make  my  own  living.  My  father 
disowned  me  long  ago." 

"  I  hope  you  are  not  in  debt,"  quavered 
Mrs.  Price. 

"  Pretty  nearly  paid  up,"  quoth  Henry. 
"  I  owe  only  ten  thousand  dollars  more 
and  I'll  soon  pay  that  off." 

On  the  porch  Sadie  inquired  about  the 
enormous  debt.  "  If  you  only  make 
enough  for  us  to  live  on,  how  are  you  go- 
138 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

ing  to  pay  such  an  awful  sum?    How  did 
you  ever  get  into  debt  that  much?  " 

"A    secret!"    said    Henry.    "  You'll 
help  me  pay  it." 


1S9 


VII 
SIXTH  STAGE 


4  4T-\ROM  Fairfield  to  Pittsburg  is  six 
L*     hundred  and  twelve  miles,  Mrs. 
Potter, "  Henry  said  to  Ms  bride,  glancing 
round  the  Pullman. 

"  You'll  spend  all  our  money  in  travel- 
ing, "  she  said,  smiling.  "  Are  you  sure 
you  can  get  a  position  there?  ' 

"  I  must,"  Henry  answered.  "  Leave 
it  to  me.  If  the  magnates  refuse  to  open 
their  coffers  I  will  loot  their  old  town.  I 
feel  equal  to  it!  " 

"  We  must  live  very  economically, "  she 
murmured. 

"  Exactly.  Economically  is  the  word. 
But  you  shan't  feel  poor,  Sadie." 

She  returned  a  true  wifely  and  satis- 
factory answer,  and  Henry  delved  into  a 
suitcase  and  extracted  therefrom  a  bundle 
of  papers  to  which  he  devoted  himself  till 
dinner  was  announced. 
143 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"I've  just  closed  up  a  deal  in  Hono- 
lulu," he  explained.  "I'll  make  a  profit 
out  of  it  that  will  settle  my  last  debts. 
Heigh-ho!" 

He  spoke  no  further  of  money  till  they 
had  been  in  their  little  flat  in  Pittsburg 
three  months.  He  entered  the  kitchen  one 
evening  and  kissed  its  aproned  occupant. 
"  Hurry  up  with  the  supper,  Sadie  dear. 
We're  going  to  take  the  night  train  for 
New  York." 

"But—" 

"  Fair  damsel,  your  master  speaketh. 
Look  here!  "  He  waved  a  slip  of  green 
paper  before  her  eyes. 

"Ten  thousand  dollars!"  she  ex- 
claimed. "  Harry!  where  did  you  get 
it?  " 

"  You  have  missed  the  first  question 
proper  on  such  occasions.  A  true  and 
loyal  wife  would  have  said,  '  Is  it  ours?  ' 
I  reply  like  the  true  husband,  '  It  is  —  for 
a  while.'  " 

144 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

"  Already?  " 

"  Mighty  little  faith  in  your  husband's 
earning  capacity,"  he  pretended  to  grum- 
ble. 


145 


vm 

BACK 


AT  midnight  Henry  pulled  the  ear  of 
his  sleeping  bride.  ' '  Say,  my  dear, 
do  you  know  that  it  is  only  four  hundred 
and  eighty-six  miles  to  New  York?  '• 

"  Well?  "  she  murmured  sleepily. 

"  It  is  very  well,"  quoth  Henry  and 
gazed  at  the  mahogany  surface  of  the 
closed  upper  berth  till  daylight  came 
through  the  window  screen  with  the  smell 
of  coal  smoke. 

At  ten  o'clock  that  morning  Thomas 
Potter  looked  at  the  card  deposited  by  his 
hot  plate. 

1 '  Humph !  Ahumph !  A-hem !  "  he 
rumbled.  "  Is  he  —  how  does  he  look, 
Henderson?  " 

Henderson  coughed  discreetly.  "  Lady 
with  him,  sir." 

"  Show  him  in  —  no,  I'll  see  him  in  the 
library." 

Thomas  dallied  with  his  egg,  scowled, 
149 


picked  up  the  morning  paper,  frowned  at 
it,  pushed  his  chair  back  into  the  ready 
hands  of  Henderson  and  departed  for  the 
library. 

Henry  was  swinging  his  long  legs  from 
the  big  table  in  the  center  of  the  room 
when  his  father  entered. 

'  *  Humph !  Ahumph !  A-hem !  ' ' 
roared  Thomas  crustily.  "  What  does 
this  mean?  " 

"  A  matter  of  business,"  said  Henry, 
meeting  the  scowl  with  a  smile.  "  Here 
you  are,  sir !  ' ' 

Thomas  took  the  slip  of  green  paper  and 
stared  at  it.  "A  draft  for  ten  thousand 
dollars,"  he  grumbled.  "  Well?  " 

11  Some  years  ago  you  paid  me  that 
amount  to  leave  Fairfield  and  not  marry 
Miss  Sadie  Price,"  Henry  explained 
quietly.  "  I  accepted  the  money  and  did 
not  marry  the  lady.  I  discovered  that  I 
was  the  loser  by  the  bargain.  There  is 
your  money.  Here  is  Mrs.  Potter,  nee 
150 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

Sadie  Price."  He  waved  his  hand  to- 
wards a  figure  almost  lost  in  an  enormous 
chair. 

The  elder  Potter  glanced  at  the  bank 
draft  and  then  at  the  young  woman  alter- 
nately. He  put  on  his  eyeglasses  finally 
and  rumbled,  "Humph!  Ahumph! 
A-hem!  this  draft  seems  to  be  perfectly 
good." 

"  So  is  the  lady,"  said  his  son.  "  Mrs. 
Potter  nee  Price.  Sadie,  advance  and  see 
the  man  who  thought  your  charms  were 
less  than  his  old  money." 

She  came  timidly  forward,  with  a  shy 
glance  at  her  husband.  Thomas  Potter 
stared,  speechless.  He  referred  to  the 
green  slip  as  the  more  comprehensible  of 
the  two  visions. 

"  Where  did  you  get  this  money, 
Henry?  " 

"  I  made  it.    Promoted  a  company  in 
Honolulu.    Make    my    own    living.    Per- 
fectly honest  money,  sir  I  " 
151 


THE  MAN  WHO  CAME  BACK 

Through  his  eyeglasses  Thomas  studied 
his  son's  appearance.  He  missed  nothing 
from  the  clear  eyes  and  healthy  com- 
plexion to  the  steady,  capable  hands  and 
buoyant  figure. 

1 1  Humph !  Ahumph !  A-hem !  "  he 
muttered,  ' '  I  never  expected  it !  ' ' 

"  You  accept  the  money?  " 

A  remarkable  trembling,  never  before 
witnessed  by  any  acquaintance  of  Thomas 
Potter,  attacked  his  lower  lip.  The  green 
paper  shook  between  his  big  fingers. 
"  It's  the  only  money  I've  got  that  I'm 
proud  of,"  he  said  huskily.  "  Ahumph! 
Humph!  A-hem!  My  dear,  have  you 
had  your  breakfast  yet?  We  will  have 
some  breakfast,  my  dear.  Yes,  breakfast. 
It  is  waiting  for  you." 

Thomas  Potter  offered  his  arm  to  Mrs. 
Henry  Potter  and  led  her  out.  Henry  fol- 
lowed. 

"  It 's  fine  to  be  back !  "  he  murmured. 


152 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

405  Hilgard  Avenue,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90024-1388 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


